Plymouth Argyle v Burton Albion
TEAM NEWS: Burton Albion boss Paul Peschisolido made just one change to his starting line-up for the trip to Home Park following the 2-0 Pirelli Stadium defeat by Accrington Stanley.
That change came in midfield, with Argentine winger Andres Gurrieri replacing Jacques Maghoma, who dropped to the bench.
On-loan West Ham United teenager Callum Driver kept his place at right-back, while Danny Blanchett again deputised for the injured Aaron Webster at left-back.
Top scorer Billy Kee was again missing because of his groin problem, while there was a surprise return on the substitutes’ bench for central defender Tom Parkes.
Parkes was signed on loan at the start of the season, but suffered a broken ankle against Port Vale in the fourth game of the season.
His loan deal does not expire until January 26 and, having fully recovered from the injury, he was back in Albion’s squad.
PILGRIMS (4-4-2): Cole; Bignot, Purse, Blanchard, Bhasera; Young, Wotton, Walton (capt), Hemmings; Feeney, Lecointe; subs: Larrieu (gk), Berry, Sutherland, Soukouna, Lennox.
BREWERS (4-4-2): Atkins; Driver, Austin, James, Blanchett; Gurrieri, Bolder, McGrath (capt), Palmer; Richards, Zola; subs: Corbett, Yussuf, Taylor, Parkes, Maghoma.
HALF-TIME: The hosts had the first chance on seven minutes and it was almost a nightmare moment for Brewers goalkeeper Ross Atkins.
Pilgrims left winger Ashley Hemmings whipped over a cross to the near post and for a moment it looked as though Atkins might push it into his own net, but he scrambled it round the post for a corner.
A minute later at the other end, Justin Richards held the ball up and found strike partner Calvin Zola, whose right-foot shot from 20 yards was tipped away by home keeper Jake Cole.
The Brewers threatened again on 13 minutes as central defender Ryan Austin launched a free-kick into the box from the halfway line.
Zola flicked it on to Richards, who back-heeled it into the path of his strike partner, but just as the big man was about to shoot, a defender took the ball off his toes.
The hosts were given a chance on 21 minutes when Tony James was penalised for a foul on striker Warren Feeney 20 yards out by the left corner of the penalty area.
Hemmings touched it to midfielder Paul Wotton, whose low right-foot drive flew wide of the far post.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 0, BURTON ALBION 0
FULL TIME: The Pilgrims broke the deadlock within two minutes of the restart.
Right winger Luke Young pounced on a loose ball and cut in from the right before playing the ball square to skipper Simon Walton.
In the centre of the goal 20 yards out, the skipper drilled a left-foot shot into the bottom corner.
The Brewers could have been level three minutes later following a good move.
Skipper John McGrath, 20 yards out, found Richards inside he box and he played a delightful ball inside to Adam Bolder, but the midfielder’s shot was weak, allowing Cole to make a comfortable save.
Peschisolido made his first change on 58 minutes, with Maghoma on for Palmer.
It could have been 2-0 on 64 minutes when Hemmings played a corner from the left short into the penalty area into Young, who spotted Atkins off his line and lobbed him but saw his effort come back off the far post.
The ball was not cleared and dropped to Wotton just outside the area and his shot was turned round the post low down by Atkins.
From the resulting corner, right-back Paul Bignot saw a header scrambled off the line.
Peschisolido’s second change came on 70 minutes, with Cleveland Taylor replacing McGrath and Gurrieri moving into the centre of midfield.
The Brewers levelled matter on 74 minutes when Taylor sent over a free-kick from the left.
Tony James did superbly on the right by-line to keep the ball in and head it back across goal.
Richards touched it on and Zola was there to nod it into the net from virtually on the goal-line.
The hosts could have been back in front three minutes later when Hemmings sent over a cross from the left, but substitute Craig Sutherland headed over from six yards.
Maghoma fired over after a good run, while at the other end, centre-back Darren Purse headed Luke Young’s free-kick from the left to the far post over.
The game had a dramatic end, with Gurrieri upending Hemmings just inside the corner of the box with the winger going away from goal following a corner.
The referee pointed to the spot and Walton stepped up to send the ball high into the net, giving Atkins no chance.
PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 2, BURTON ALBION 1
