Two goals in two minutes from Jon Nolan and Kayden Jackson saw Town come from behind to beat Plymouth Argyle 2-1 at Home Park following Pilgrims winger Danny Mayor’s red card. Luke Jephcott’s 14th minute goal had given Argyle a 1-0 half-time lead but after one-time Town target Mayor had picked up his second yellow card on 70, Nolan and Jackson netted in the 73rd and 74th minutes to hand manager Paul Lambert a victory in his 100th game in charge of the Blues, who are up to third.

Town boss Paul Lambert made three changes with Alan Judge, Brett McGavin and Jackson coming into the side.

McGavin took over from Andre Dozzell, banned for one game having reached five bookings, in the holding midfield role with Judge ahead of him alongside Nolan.

Jack Lankester moved to the right of the front three with Keanan Bennetts, who has been suffering with a hamstring problem, dropping to the bench.

Jackson was the lone central striker with Aaron Drinan, who started at Oxford on Tuesday, not in the matchday 18.

Emyr Huws returned to the bench after a back problem along with Toto Nsiala, who has had a hamstring injury, and young defender Corrie Ndaba.

For Plymouth, defenders Will Aimson and Jerome Opoku came back into the side, as did midfielders Panutche Camara and Mayor, who turned down the chance to join the Blues in the summer of 2019 to sign for the Pilgrims.

Scott Wootton, Niall Canavan and Ben Reeves dropped to the bench, while George Cooper missed out on a place in the 18.

Former Blues loanee Conor Grant started in midfield and ex-Town striker Frank Nouble was up front.

The teams were playing in front of fans for the first time since March 7th with 1,808 Argyle season ticket holders present at Home Park.

Town started brightly with Armando Dobra sending over a low cross from the right which was turned behind by a defender. From the corner, ex-Blues striker Nouble slid in to make a fine challenge on Judge inside the box.

There was a scare for the Blues in the sixth minute after Stephen Ward was caught in possession on the Town left. A cross from the right flicked off a defender behind Nouble and Mayor saw a shot blocked.

A minute later at the other end, Town were adamant they should have been awarded a penalty when Opoku upended Lankester inside the box. However, referee Ollie Yates waved the protests away, seemingly indicating that Lankester had dived. Once again the Blues appeared to have been the victims of a bad big decision.

The game had started in an end-to-end open manner with chances at both ends. On 10 the Pilgrims might have gone ahead when Grant crossed from the right and Kell Watts headed well over.

But the returning, socially-distanced home fans dotted around the ground only had to wait another four minutes for their side to take the lead.

Ex-Town loanee Grant crossed from the left from Nouble’s lay-off and Jephcott got in front of Mark McGuinness and flicked goalwards. The ball struck the underside of the bar and, according to the linesman, went over the line. Ward protested and replays suggested the ball may not have crossed but to no avail.

The Blues should have got back on terms in the 22nd minute when a deflected Lankester pass sent Jackson away on goal. However, the striker took too long over taking his shot and Aimson slid in superbly to dispossess him.

The game continued to be an open affair but with Argyle looking more dangerous. On 34 Mayor cut in from the left and hit a powerful shot which flew across the face of goal and wide.

In the final scheduled minute of the half, Nouble flicked on a long kick from keeper Michael Cooper and Cornell had to come off his line to claim ahead of Jephcott.

Moments later, Dobra forced Cooper into his first save of the game but it was a regulation take for the Argyle glovesman and looked to be going wide in any case.

As has become familiar, Town had had plenty of possession and although they were less ponderous in their approach than has often been the case, they had created fewer of the chances than the home side.

Having said that, they were very unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when Lankester was fouled, while Jackson ought to have got his shot away when he had his chance.

But Plymouth had looked more threatening with their goal, which may or may not have crossed the line, the outstanding opening created by either side.

Five minutes after the restart McGavin was booked for a foul on Camara, then Mayor joined him in being shown a yellow card for time-wasting as he prepared to take a corner.

On 55 Cooper was fored to turn a McGavin corner form his right over his bar. From the resultant flag-kick on the other side, the ball was eventually played out to McGavin by Jackson and the midfielder hit a powerful effort straight at Cooper who held confidently.

But overall, Town were hardly looking like getting back on terms with more of the action in and around a penalty area at the other end. In the 58th minute Tyrese Fornah hit a shot through to Cornell from distance.

Two minutes later, after the Blues had broken forward quickly, Jackson flicked a Dobra cross from the left goalwards at the near post but it hit a defender and went behind.

Town made a double change in the 65th minute with Bennetts and Oli Hawkins taking over from McGavin and Lankester and moved to a 4-4-1-1 system. Three minutes later, Argyle swapped goalscorer Jephcott for Ryan Hardie.

In the 70th minute the Pilgrims were reduced to 10 men when Mayor - already booked for time-wasting at a corner - deliberately tripped Dobra on halfway and was shown a second yellow and then a red card. Nouble was subsequently cautioned for protesting.

It took Town only three minutes after the dismissal to get back on terms. Bennetts fed Ward overlapping on the left and the Irishman crossed to Nolan just inside the area from where the Liverpudlian chested down and shot low into the corner of the net.

Having scored their first goal in four games, it took Town only a minute to net another.

Again it came from a Ward cross from the left, this time from not far inside the Plymouth half. Hawkins chested it down and Jackson hit a low left-footed shot across Cooper and into the corner of the net for his first goal of the season.

Plymouth switched skipper Joe Edwards and Nouble for Byron Moore and Ben Reeves in the 78th minute as the 10 men went about getting back on terms.

On 84 Watts went very close to levelling with a powerful shot from distance which flew only narrowly over Cornell’s cross bar. In the final minute Dom Telford took over from Fornah for the Pilgrims.

In four minutes of injury time, there was a falling out between Cornell and McGuinness after the defender had ignored a call from the keeper leaving him in no-man’s land as sub Telford hooked well over the bar. Referee Yates yellow-carded Cornell following the incident.

Soon after Yates confirmed that the 1,808 Plymouth fans would leave Home Park for the first time in nine months having seen their side defeated.

No doubt about the turning point in the game. Before Mayor’s red card a Blues’ revival hadn’t looked particularly likely.

Mayor seemed to immediately realise his error after tripping Dobra having picked up a cheap yellow card earlier in the half for time-wasting.

Town certainly made the most of their one-man advantage with Nolan - now the Blues' joint-top scorer on five alongside Gwion Edwards - and Jackson taking their chances clinically - the only opportunities following the red card - with Ward playing a role in both and Hawkins the second.

The Blues’ first win in four will relieve some pressure of manager Lambert, whose record in his 100 games in charge reads won 32, drew 25, lost 43.

Town are up to third in the table ahead of next week’s home game against fourth-placed Portsmouth in front of 2,000 Blues supporters.

Plymouth: M Cooper, Aimson, Opoku, Watts, Fornah (Telford 90), Edwards (c) (Moore 78), Camara, Mayor, Grant, Nouble (Reeves 78), Jephcott (Hardie 68). Unused: McCormick, Wootton, Canavan.

Town: Cornell, Chambers (c), Woolfenden, McGuinness, Ward, McGavin (Bennetts 65), Nolan, Dobra, Lankester (Hawkins 65), Judge, Jackson. Unused: Holy, Nsiala, Ndaba, Huws, Gibbs. Referee: Ollie Yates (Staffordshire). Att: 1,808.

Photo: PagePix

BettyBlue added 04:14 - Dec 6 name one injured player who would have done a better job for us today? Skuse?
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BettyBlue added 04:15 - Dec 6 that doesn't sound right but you get the jist.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 05:00 - Dec 6 We shall see next match what this result really means. Until Nolan's well-taken goal out of the blue, we looked as if we could play all day without scoring. I'm not convinced, to be honest. But maybe the confidence gained by the win will inspire something better against Portsmouth. My observations: surely we must play two up front. It may just work with only one when you have players like Bishop to drive forward at the defence, but we haven't at the moment. Also, I think McGavin is turning into a very reliable cog in the team. Surely we can find a place for him and Dozzell together, not one as a replacement for the other? A win's a win, so better vibes this weekend.

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dirtydingusmagee added 09:35 - Dec 6 the win was vital ,but mustnt get overblown , teams below with games in hand could yet show the real picture.
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LondonBlue73 added 09:41 - Dec 6 Bettyblue - I'm not sure if you want an answer or if you are being positive or negative. Personally I think KVY, Downs, Bishop, Edwards and a fitter Norwood all do a better job, I also do believe we miss Experience at CB and whilst not injured we miss Dozzell too
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Westy added 09:46 - Dec 6 Good to actually win a game with two such well taken goals.
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Bluearmy_81 added 09:57 - Dec 6 Lonely, no I'm not a bully. Football is a man's game and engenders strong opinions. Never am I threatening or nasty, I just say it as I see it. You are entitled to do the same. If you think my comments make me a bully you've lived a very sheltered and quiet life. The reality is no owner would have an easier ride than Evans has had from town fans. In the current context that doesn't make them good fans, far from it. Endless patience in the face of underachievement and failure and apathy and ambivalence which town fans have overwhelmingly shown in the face of an incredible degeneration in the club is really poor to my mind and I'm entitled to not just think that but say it.

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rabbit added 10:29 - Dec 6 Bluearmy_81 you are quite correct you absolutely are entitled to your opinion, what is totally and thoroughly unacceptable is what you call others that do not agree with you, I won't bother to go through the foul names you use, but most people that read the comments section will know. It is also unacceptable to tell utter lies in order to bolster your point of view, which you have done on several occasions, this has happened again during the last few days. Let me take you back; you said that ITFC were out of administration and finances were improving, that is as you know is incorrect. Now, I call it a lie because if it was an error or simply you had forgotten what the dire financial situation was, you could have simply corrected yourself and owned up to your mistake. Sadly you did not and that alone suggests that from your keyboard you attempt to bully others simply because they have a different opinion.

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Bluearmy_81 added 10:46 - Dec 6 Hi Rabbit, no please do go through the foul names that I don't call anyone... Thanks
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jalapenosteve added 10:55 - Dec 6 10 players injured,a goal down, and I was miserable as hell. Then we score twice and what a feeling!! We were overdue the run of the ball and might even get a penalty one of these days. Third in the table, key players on the way back, come on cheer up people!
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rabbit added 11:18 - Dec 6 Bluearmy_81 you are responding to me, how refreshing, perhaps now that you have opened dialogue with me you can let us all know what you believe was the financial situation at ITFC after administration and prior to the takeover. You have described the situation incorrectly, very recently and I have asked the question several times but you have chosen not to respond, for whatever reason, I was wondering if you had bothered to do a simple bit of research into the facts?. Come on now, man up and be prepared for us to chat through our opinions without the derision and ire. Over to you whether you think you can handle it.

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Bluearmy_81 added 11:41 - Dec 6 Rabbit, we were out of administration. There were other potential buyers. If only one of them had bought town instead of the colossal failure that is ME. I fail to see why you are so obsessed with such incidentals, its 13 years on and we are at our lowest ebb in 60 years. If only you were as obsessed and critical of the cause, the chronic failure of an owner, as you are with me. Still waiting for you to list the foul names I don't call people on here...

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dirtydingusmagee added 13:42 - Dec 6 sit and watch the club go steadily downhill isnt saving the club , its just delaying its demise. Evans has achieved nothing at all , paint the picture whatever colour you like.
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lonelyblue added 16:18 - Dec 6 I still think you're a bully bluearmy. And football isn't a man's game, is it? Have you noticed the fans, match officials and professional players that are not men? I'm not remotely interested in what you think of my background:- you don't know me, and you're wrong anyway. You've been called out and I'm pleased you have. Why don't you consider winding your neck in a bit when it comes to the abuse? Supporters can debate without it having to be vicious. This would be a much more pleasant forum if we could all do that. I still remember the spirit in which Those Were The Days was invented and it was a lot of fun back then, and we all cared just as much about our football club as we do now. It's a big shame the way things have gone, but it's not too late to reverse the process. Want to give it a go?

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Bert added 16:41 - Dec 6 If Bluearmy81 does not think he writes like a bully then he really does have a problem with understanding what bullying actually means.
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BIuearmy_81 added 17:00 - Dec 6 Well I'm just a big tw@t who has nothing better to do than spend my life on this forum complaining at every opportunity. I find my time is best spent repeating the same unsubstantiated garbage over and over in the hope of one day being able to tell some strangers 'I told you so'.
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Bluearmy_81 added 18:03 - Dec 6 ^^^^ Hacked, I didn't write that. Vicious?! Are you kidding? Still waiting for rabbits list of foul names I call people! 😂 Sorry, for their lack of coming together against an awful owner I think town fans are incredibly poor. I wished I didn't but 5hats the way I see it. I don't get personal and call people names, just express a strong opinion based on the above. That doesn't make me a bully.

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Bluearmy_81 added 18:08 - Dec 6 To who did write that, says the guy spending ages trying to guess my password to make a stupid comment 😂
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lonelyblue added 18:22 - Dec 6 Still waiting for you to respond to my comment on your “man's game” pronouncement, which apart from being factually incorrect, is arguably exactly the kind of language that bullies use. I would imagine rabbits has better things to do with his Sunday than subject himself to reading through your stream of vitriol, but that's just a guess. And hey, we're just expressing our strong opinion that you employ bullying language, so by your own logic, that must be alright with you. Thank you.

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Bluearmy_81 added 18:34 - Dec 6 An expression. Of course its not just a man's game. Why am I bullying by expressing strong opinions? Yeah you're right it does matter little as I don't know you so don't really value your opinion. Vitriol? Would really appreciate someone giving me some examples of personal 'foul names' and 'vitriol' as I don't recall it. Strong opinions yes, name calling or bullying no.

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lonelyblue added 19:25 - Dec 6 Okay, I'm going to attempt to call a truce and meet in the middle here. I'm sorry if you feel singled out for attack, maybe you have an extremely thick skin, but I do sense that you are a genuinely good guy, and there are some people on here who have expressed views that I feel to be truly shameful, and you are certainly not one of them. I would quietly argue that words aren't just words, and expressions aren't just expressions, they have cultural impact and meaning. Look, I swear like a trooper all day and every day amongst my friends, but it doesn't come across so great in print. I'm genuinely suggesting that you can make your point better, and more inclusively, by using phrases like “I'm totally disappointed you think that way” or “I truly can't believe people don't see ME for who he is” etc. (These are a bit Stephen Fry I know, but I hope you catch my drift). Honestly, your comments have often come across as being quite aggressive, and since I'm willing to take a bet that this doesn't reflect your personality in any way, would you at least think about it? There are many ways to express passion. You'll probably win a few more supporters if you could just rein it in a bit. Surely it's a better place if we can all be less combative. At least amongst ourselves.

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Bluearmy_81 added 09:43 - Dec 7 Lonely, ok, I take on board what you say. I'm just very passionate about ITFC (as we all our in our own way) and as I'm sure you gather, massively frustrated about our current situation. I see an obvious cause and I equally see town fans, for the most part, pretty passive and apathetic towards that cause which further fuels my frustration. Fans coming together can and does effect change, this can be seen time and time again through history. It's never my intention to ever offend or hurt anyone and I apologise if I cause offense. I'll try to reign in my 'language of frustration' as you suggest whilst preserving the message. Best wishes, all the best, BA81

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Bert added 10:18 - Dec 7 Well done Lonelybue and Bluearmy81.
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lonelyblue added 13:40 - Dec 7 Thank you Bert and thank you BA81. That was nice in the end, wasn't it? Merry Christmas everyone!
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