George Edmundson gave Town the lead but Luke Jephcott equalised just before the break to leave the scoreline 1-1 between the Blues and Plymouth at half-time at Home Park.
Luke Woolfenden and Hayden Coulson returned to the XI with Janoi Donacien and Wes Burns both missing out due to illness, while Sone Aluko was also absent having suffered what looked to be a broken nose in last Saturday’s 2-1 win against Fleetwood.
Woolfenden started at right-back with Coulson ahead of him on the right wing with Matt Penney continuing at left-back. Donacien and Burns had both travelled with the squad to the South-West on Thursday before being taken unwell.
Kayden Jackson, a scorer in last year’s corresponding fixture, was back on the bench alongside last week’s last-gasp winning goalscorer Bersant Celina.
For Plymouth, Adam Randell came in for the suspended Jordan Houghton in midfield, while Ryan Broom replaced Danny Mayor, sent off in the game between the teams in Devon last season, who dropped to the bench.
Former Town defender James Wilson was at the centre of the Pilgrims’ defence and ex-loanee Conor Grant at left wing-back.
As the teams came out, both sets of fans at a sell-out Home Park - Plymouth’s biggest attendance since 2008 - took part in a display paying tribute to Paul Mariner, a legend at the two clubs. Prior to kick-off there was a minute’s applause for the England striker, who died in July aged 68.
Town almost took the lead in the second minute. Following an Argyle corner, Lee Evans sent Coulson, playing his first game after his thigh injury, away on the left and the on-loan Middlesbrough man cut across to Macauley Bonne, whose attempt at stroking home was blocked by home skipper Joe Edwards.
From the resultant corner, the home side had a similarly clear-cut chance to go in front. Ryan Hardie out-fought Penney just inside the Town half and was through one-one-one with former Plymouth youngster Christian Walton. The Blues keeper stood firm and blocked with the loose ball cannoning out for a corner of Sam Morsy.
In the aftermath of that corner ex-Town loanee Conor Grant struck a shot which smashed against Wilson. On nine, Jephcott flicked a header to Walton.
After a remarkably frenetic and open early period, the game eventually settled with Town seeing most of the ball.
And in the 14th minute, the Blues went in front. Penney won a corner on the left and the flag-kick eventually reached Bonne at the far post. Showing the sort of composure Town fans have become used to this season, the striker laid the ball back to Morsy, who looped a cross to the far post from where Edmundson nodded in his second goal of the season.
The Blues continued to take the game to the league leaders having gone in front but without being able to carve out another chance.
Goalscorer Edmundson was shown the game’s first yellow card in the 22nd minute for a foul on Edwards which was clumsy rather than malicious. Three minutes later, Conor Chaplin joined him in the book for catching Jephcott late as the striker broke on halfway.
Plymouth began to see most of the ball but with their final pass or cross all too often going astray or if not cut out by a Town defender. On 33 Edmundson did superbly to hold off Jephcott and see the ball out of play.
As the half moved into its final five minutes Town were well in control, passing the ball around confidently but without creating an opportunity to double their lead.
However, in the 44th minute, the Pilgrims levelled out of nothing. Following a free-kick on the left, Randell crossed and Edwards nipped in front of the hesitant Penney to stab at goal. Walton did superbly to tip onto the bar but Jephcott tapped home at the far post.
Two minutes into injury time and seconds before the whistle, Edwards was sent away on the left, cut in and hit a shot which home keeper Michael Cooper saved down to his right.
Town will have left the field feeling that they should have still been in front. The Blues had got their noses in front via Edmundson’s goal and had been on top and being given little trouble by the Pilgrims as half-time approached.
However, Penney was on his heels as the cross came over with Edwards much sharper, while Walton was unfortunate to concede having saved the initial effort well.
A poor time for the Blues to concede in a game - after the frantic first few minutes - short on chances at both ends.
Plymouth: Cooper, Wilson, Scarr, Broom, Edwards (c), Hardie, Grant, Randell, Galloway, Camara, Jephcott. Subs: Burton, Gillesphey, Mayor, Garrick, Agard, Law, Jenkins-Davies.
Town: Walton, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Nsiala, Penney, Coulson, Morsy (c), Evans, Chaplin, Edwards, Bonne. Subs: Hladky, Burgess, Harper, El Mizouni, Celina, Jackson, Pigott. Referee: Robert Lewis (Shrewsbury).