Town will rue missing enough chances to win four games as Plymouth took a goalless draw away from Portman Road. The result could have been worse for the Blues with Neil Alexander saving a second half penalty from Steve MacLean, his third spotkick stop of the season.

Alan Quinn made his debut on the left of midfield with Dan Harding returning at left-back. Up front, Alan Lee was again on the bench with Jon Walters starting alongside Pablo Couñago. Tommy Miller came into the centre of midfield with Owen Garvan. Plymouth were without Town target David Norris who was left out of the travelling party.

The first action of the game saw linesman Mr Evetts clattered by an on-rushing Danny Haynes and fall into the photographers' pit in front of the Britannia Stand next to the tunnel. After lengthy treatment he was able to continue.

Plymouth turned up in what appeared to be a Norwich kit and once play restarted most of the game was played in the visitors' half of the field. On 11 Haynes crossed from the right, the ball falling to Pablo Couñago, but the Spaniard failed to test keeper Luke McCormick.

Rory Fallon shot well wide for the Pilgrims, then Owen Garvan sent Haynes away on the right, but the England U19 international's shot was blocked.

Garvan crossed from the right on 14 and a combination of Alex Bruce and a defender sent the ball behind for a corner.

The Irish midfielder was at the heart of most of Town's forward play and two minutes later threaded a ball through for Couñago but just too far in front of the striker.

Town appeared to be denied a certain penalty in the 18th minute when Alan Quinn was felled by Peter Halmosi as he prepared to shoot on the edge of the area. Referee Tony Bates waved away the Town appeals. Soon after, stricken linesman Evatts was replaced by the fourth official.

On 24 Couñago set up Quinn in a similar position and this time the former Sheffield United man wasn't upended, but his strike failed to trouble McCormick.

Town were well on top with Neil Alexander only tested by backpasses by his own players.

Garvan miscued a shot wide, then Haynes cut in from the right in acres of space but launched the ball into the upper tier of the Greene King Stand, before Jon Walters headed over.

The Blues had already had enough decent opportunities to have sealed the victory, but there was a lack of quality in the finishing.

Garvan went close with a 25-yard strike from a Couñago lay back, the ball passing narrowly beyond McCormick's left post.

In the 35th minute, a corner from Quinn eventually fell to Couñago after a Town appeal for handball, but the Spaniard hooked over the bar.

Plymouth's first shot of the game came from a 37th minute freekick, but Halmosi's effort failed to trouble Alexander.

Haynes crossed from the right on 42, Couñago missing his kick on a less than perfect Portman Road surface and Quinn and then Garvan having shots blocked.

In injury time, Couñago was played in on goal but passed the ball wide of the post with only the keeper to beat.

It had been that kind of half from Town. They had created chances galore, but had failed to score or force McCormick into enough significant saves.

At half-time a call went out for a Level Three referee, presumably to take over fourth official duties from the injured Evatt.

Dan Harding struck the first effort of the second half wide, then Alan Quinn missed a golden opportunity to net a debut goal. Wright crossed from the right, Walters flicked on and Quinn headed wide when he probably had time to take the ball down and pick his spot.

Town continued to completely dominate and in the 53rd minute first Alex Bruce and then Jason De Vos had the ball cleared off the line after a Garvan corner from the left. Jon Walters even had a fairly convincing penalty shout as he tried to get in a subsequent effort with a defender hanging off his shirt. Eventually, the ball came back in again and the former Chester man put the ball in the net, but with the sub linesman's not always accurately utilised flag raised.

At the other end, Fallon shot weakly to Alexander, before Couñago latched on to a Walters flick and lobbed the keeper, McCormick getting enough on the ball to divert it wide.

The Plymouth goal was under almost constant pressure and just before the hour mark Walters had a shot blocked from a looping Garvan ball into the box.

On the hour, the visitors were awarded a penalty on what was an extremely rare venture into the Town box. Alexander saved a shot from Paul Connolly, Argyle's first attempt on target in open play, the ball rebounding back on to Dan Harding's hand. The linesman signalled a penalty and referee Bates agreed.

Steve McLean stepped up and sent the ball to Alexander's left, the keeper pushing the ball away from goal to complete his third penalty save of the season.

David Wright whipped in another quality cross from the right in the 68th minute, Walters heading powerfully downwards, but McCormick getting down well to his right to save.

Alexander quickly pulled off an even better stop from a Fallon volley at the other end as Plymouth finally started to make some headway inside the Town half.

Quinn, decidedly right-footed for a left-sided player, set up Walters for another good chance on 71, but the striker inexplicably scuffed the ball wide. Alan Lee replaced Danny Haynes with Walters switching to his wide right role.

A 76th minute Quinn strike appeared to hit a Plymouth hand inside the area, but again referee Bates wasn't interested, prior to Tommy Miller shooting just wide.

Krisztian Timar received the game's only yellow card in the 78th minute for a foul on Alan Lee. Five minutes later Gary Roberts took over from Alan Quinn, who was tiring after a busy and effective first appearance, although he will feel he ought to have scored at least once and won a first half penalty.

Wright sent in another cross as the game entered its final five minutes, Couñago heading against the outside of the post.

As the game moved into injury time, Lee headed a looping Roberts ball back towards goal and a defender nodded it from under the bar.

That was to be the last chance of the game, a match the Blues certainly should have won and would have done but for poor finishing from innumerable members of the side.

The statistics bear out Town's dominance, the Blues amassing 14 shots on target and 12 off to Plymouth's four on and three off.

Had the finishing even been half decent we could have been looking at a result similar to the thrashing of Bristol City earlier in the season, with the Pilgrims never getting to grips with the game until the closing stages.

Neil Alexander again impressed with his penalty saving skills and was largely very comfortable. The Blues dominated for the most part, but as we've seen away from home on several occasions over the last year, that's irrelevant if no one can put the ball over the line.

On the upside, the home league unbeaten run is now up to 19 games, while less positive is the Blues' league position of 10th, although still only two points off Crystal Palace in sixth.

Town: Alexander, Wright, Harding, De Vos, Bruce, Garvan, Miller, Haynes (Lee 71), Quinn (Roberts 83), Walters, Couñago. Unused: Supple, Naylor, Legwinski. Att: 20,095.

Photo: Action Images

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