Plymouth Argyle came from a goal down to inflict Town’s first League One defeat of the season and to replace them at the top of the table. Freddie Ladapo’s first league goal for the Blues on 39 gave Town a half-time lead but Bali Mumba and Morgan Whittaker netted in the 69th and 75th minutes to claim the points and top spot for the Pilgrims.
Town boss Kieran McKenna has made two changes from the one which drew 2-2 at Sheffield Wednesday last week, one enforced with wing-back Wes Burns unavailable as he’s with the Wales squad.
Kayden Jackson moved to that role, while Marcus Harness came back into the XI as one of the number 10s with former Pilgrim Freddie Ladapo starting as the lone central striker, while Tyreece John-Jules dropped to the bench.
Ex-Town defender James Wilson, one-time Blues target Danny Mayor, Niall Ennis and Adam Randell were all back in the Argyle side having missed last week’s 2-2 draw at Portsmouth.
One-time Town loanee Conor Grant returned to the bench having been out since the end of last season after undergoing groin surgery.
The Pilgrims were without on-loan Aston Villa midfielder Finn Azaz, who is away with the Republic of Ireland U21s, while Brendan Galloway was suspended following a red card against Pompey.
Prior to kick-off, there was a minute’s applause for ex-Plymouth manager Dave Smith, who died earlier this month.
Town started on the front foot and in the third minute won a free-kick on the left which reached Luke Woolfenden at the back of the box but the central defender’s shot was too close to home keeper Michael Cooper.
Two minutes later, Blues number one Christian Walton, making his 200th league appearance against his local club where he started his career, kicked poorly and the Pilgrims attacked, Mayor eventually sending a low ball across the box which George Edmundson turned over the bar.
From the resultant corner, ex-Town centre-half Wilson headed powerfully over at the far post.
On eight, Lee Evans sent Jackson away with a curling pass in behind Bali Mumba on the Town right. The former Accrington man got their first as Mumba slipped and cut the ball across but with no Town player waiting for the pass.
The Blues continued to make the brighter start and in the 11th minute Chaplin made a clever reverse flick to play in Harness on the left of the box but the ex-Pompey man’s effort was blocked, then almost immediately Chaplin fed Ladapo and the ex-Pilgrim hit a shot on the turn which deflected wide.
"From the corner, Ladapo rose highest but headed straight at Cooper, who claimed confidently.
But it wasn’t all Town and in the 15th minute Mumba played in Matt Butcher on the left of the box but Walton read it well and palmed it behind. The keeper also confidently caught the resultant corner.
Ladapo had another chance in the 17th minute when he was fed in on goal inside the area by Chaplin but Cooper was quickly out to block his effort.
Plymouth worked themselves another opportunity a minute later, Randell exchanging passes with skipper Joe Edwards before dragging his shot from a very tight angle wide and out for a throw.
Soon after, Morgan Whittaker unleashed an effort from 25 yards which Walton pushed wide.
Harness was booked for a foul on Randell, then Morsy joined him for a 50/50 challenge with the same player, moments after Niall Ennis had caught Edmundson with a needless late challenge which referee Scott Oldham hadn’t seen as worthy of a caution.
Plymouth should have taken the lead in the 25th minute when Whittaker found Mumba in space on the left of the box with only Walton to beat but the Town keeper advanced and blocked much to his side’s relief.
Janoi Donacien required treatment in the 31st minute after Mumba caught him late and again the referee kept his cards in his pocket where earlier less serious Town transgressions had gone in the book.
Town began to get themselves back on top after the Pilgrims’ spell in charge and chances.
On 37 Chaplin was fouled just inside the Town half and took the free-kick quickly sending Leif Davis away on the left. The former Leeds man crossed and found Ladapo, who worked space before hitting a shot which was blocked. The rebound fell to Morsy whose strike was too close to Cooper.
But the travelling Town fans, some of whom left Ipswich on coaches at 3.30am, didn’t have long to wait for a goal.
Morsy slid in to make a challenge just inside the Town half and inadvertently sent Ladapo away on goal. The striker held off Dan Scarr before hitting a shot which took a double ricochet off the defender and then Ladapo himself before looping over Cooper.
Ladapo’s first league goal for the Blues, in his seventh start in addition to three sub appearances, was delightedly celebrated by the striker, his teammates and the travelling support at the other end of the ground.
Town went looking for a second and in the 44th minute Chaplin played in Jackson in the area but Mumba made a strong challenge as the shot came in and the ball looped to Cooper.
That was the last opportunity of thoroughly entertaining half with referee Oldham booed off by the Blues support with Town once again appearing to have been on the end of some harsh officiating.
Both sides had had had periods on top but with the Blues having more of the game’s opportunities, although with Walton also having been forced into a number of saves.
Town created the first opening of the second half in the 49th minute, Jackson hitting a low cross-shot from the right which failed to find a teammate.
Moments later, Morsy cut a ball back from the left which fell to Donacien but the defender, still looking for his first Town goal, saw his effort blocked and Jackson couldn’t get on the loose ball.
Plymouth threatened for the first time since the restart in the 53rd minute, a well-worked passage of play on the left eventually ending with Whittaker hitting a low shot from the edge of the area which arced only just past Walton’s left post.
The home crowd started to make themselves heard as Town gave away a free-kick in their half, Whittaker eventually hitting a shot which was blocked.
Following a subsequent Pilgrims’ free-kick, Town broke away through Jackson on the right and should have added to their lead. Jackson cut back to Chaplin, who fed Harness to his left but the summer signing scraped his shot wide.
The Blues made their first two changes in the 59th minute with Kane Vincent-Young and John-Jules taking over from Harness and Ladapo. Vincent-Young went to right wing-back with Jackson into the number nine role.
Plymouth made two switches of personnel two minutes later with Mayor and Butcher replaced by Jordan Houghton and Sam Cosgrove.
Town had quietened down the Home Park crowd and were on top and looking for a second with Davis twice having crosses cut out.
On 65, John-Jules twisted and turned on the left of the box before hitting a shot which Cooper turned behind.
Edmundson was booked in the 66th minute for a foul on Whittaker as Argyle attacked following a Town corner.
Three minutes later, the Pilgrims equalised. A Whittaker cross from the right was headed clear by Vincent-Young and, after Chaplin had looked to be fouled by Houghton, on-loan Norwich City full-back Mumba picked the ball up and hit a powerful strike past Walton to his right and into the corner of the net.
Unsurprisingly having got back on terms, Argyle tails were now up and, after Evans had been booked for a foul, they went close to a second, Wilson turning the ball wide from a corner on the right.
On 72, after a Town attack had broken down, the Pilgrims broke quickly with Whittaker found in space on the right from where he hit a shot which Walton did well to palm wide.
But Argyle fans didn’t have long to wait for their side to go in front. Town played themselves into trouble on their left, Whittaker seizing on a loose Edmundson pass and exchanging passes with Edwards before hitting a brilliant strike into the top corner of Walton’s net.
Town needed something to change the game’s momentum back in their favour and in the 81st minute they swapped Chaplin and Davis for Gassan Ahadme and Kyle Edwards. A minute later, Plymouth exchanged Ennis for Will Jenkins Davies.
Jackson shot into the side-netting from distance in the 88th minute, then as the game moved into injury time Edwards cut in from the left and hit a shot which Cooper saved down to his right.
Town kept pushing in the final moments and keeper Walton almost claimed a point against his old club having come up for a corner. The Wadebridge-born number one’s header looped off the bar and John-Jules’s rebound was forced away from the line.
The Blues were unable to make anything of the subsequent flag-kick and referee Oldham’s whistle signalled delight among the home fans.
As at Sheffield Wednesday last week, it was a game the Blues ought to have had won. Harness’s chance was their most notable opportunity to add to their lead but they should have made their spell on top in the second half tell.
Instead, they allowed Argyle back into the game - as they did at Home Park last season, the last time they led and lost - and like at Hillsborough last week were unable to change the momentum of the game once it was going against them and were made to pay for sloppy defending, although both goals were superb strikes.
Walton was unlucky not to mark his 200th league appearance with a goal but Town had spurned their opportunity to seal the points earlier in the match.
The Blues, who have now won just one of their last 21 matches live on Sky, are next in action at Portman Road next Saturday when Portsmouth, now third having had their game postponed due to international calls this weekend, visit Suffolk.
Plymouth: Cooper, Wilson, Scarr, Lonwijk (Gillesphey 90), Mumba, Randell, Butcher (Cosgrove 61), Edwards (c), Whittaker (Grant 90), Ennis (Jenkins Davies 82), Mayor (Houghton 61). Unused: Burton, Hardie.
Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Jackson, Morsy, Evans, Davis (Edwards 81), Chaplin (Ahadme 81), Harness (John-Jules 59), Ladapo (Vincent-Young 59). Unused: Hladky, Keogh, Ball. Referee: Scott Oldham (Poulton-le-Fylde). Att: 15,480.