Boss Jim Magilton was pleased with Town's first half display but less so with his team's performance after the break. Plymouth manager Ian Holloway was fuming after the game due to Mathias Doumbe's early red card and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's disallowed second half goal.
Magilton said: "In the first half we were very good and scored two exceptional goals. We were disappointing after the interval, when Plymouth passed the ball better than us and worked harder.
"I don't think it would have mattered if Plymouth had 11 men on the pitch. They wouldn't have stopped the first two goals, which were excellent.
"I thought we were well worth the two-goal lead at the break but I was disappointed that we didn't carry on our play in the second half.
"We became more and more frustrated. I had to change things and Danny Haynes produced a terrific burst of speed and took his late goal brilliantly.
"I was also pleased for Ian Miller. It was his debut and a proud moment for him and I'm delighted for the lad."
The Town boss felt the red card was hard on Plymouth. "The referee missed it and was not even going to give a freekick until his assistant flagged. Once a foul was given, Doumbe was the last man and had to go."
Magilton was less generous regarding the handball which led to Sylvan Ebanks-Blake having a goal disallowed: "The lad handled it. It was the right decision, but I would say that, wouldn't I?"
Pilgrims' manager Ian Holloway says he sees little point in appealing against Doumbe's red card: "What's the point? I have already been thrown out of the referee's room for raising my voice a little bit.
"I just can't believe it. I've never seen anything like it in my life. The referee didn't give the freekick and we started to play on. Then he leant on his linesman, and I thought it was a yellow card if it was a foul at all.
"We had a double whammy. When Sylvan was through, the linesman did not flag, but the referee gave a handball decision when it was not deliberate."
Holloway felt his players reacted poorly to the sending off: "After that we wobbled when Ipswich scored two goals. I don't want my players to make excuses, because our response to events in the first 20 minutes was poor.
"Later, I would have expected my players to score from the chances we created. We didn't put the ball in the net as we should have done, but when we did, it didn't count.
"The only positive from the day is that we are flying home rather than having a seven-hour coach ride."
Town debutant Ian Miller was delighted to make his Portman Road bow: "It was a fantastic feeling.
"I was hoping to get a run and when I saw Fabian limping, I thought I might get a chance.
"Jason De Vos was great. He helped me settle in and the supporters were fantastic. They gave me a great ovation and that gave me a real lift.
"I know it was only 15 minutes, but I could see the step up in class immediately and now I just hope I can get more opportunities over the rest of the season."
Get the fastest and most comprehensive Ipswich Town news service at ipswichtown.footballlatest.co.uk.