Boss Jim Magilton conceded that Fabian Wilnis had to be sent off for a club record fourth time at Plymouth, but felt referee Kevin Friend's award of a late penalty was harsh. The Town manager said was “astounded” that Friend was allowed to take control of the match after a similarly card happy performance in the corresponding game last season.

Magilton said: “I am disappointed because obviously we started the game very brightly, got a very good goal and then conceded ground and conceded possession too easily for me.

"I have spoken about this to the team before with regards possession of the football and I don't think we have done that too well today.

"As much as we defended very well and stoutly all day, I would like us to have a little bit more quality with the ball and I don't think we did particularly well with that again.”

The Town manager said Wilnis's challenge on David Norris which led to his red card was out of character but deserved: "Let's get one thing straight, Fabian Wilnis is not a dirty player. He does not make dirty challenges.

"He had both eyes on the ball and made contact with the ball, not the player, but the letter of the law says that if you have two feet off the ground, you have to go.

"On that basis Fabian had to walk, but David Norris made a similar challenge in the first half. He didn't catch Dan Harding and the referee just had a word with him, which was the right thing to do but, while I don't want to see any player sent off, there was little between the incidents.

"I thought the referee did not have the best of games to say the least and the penalty looked very harsh, but we have to take it on the chin and move on.

"I have to say I was astounded to find that this referee was refereeing this game again today because he did last year and he sent one off and booked six, and today he's sent one off and there were more bookings.

"But this is a difficult place to come and before the game I would have settled for a point."

Plymouth boss Ian Holloway was taken to hospital before the game but his assistant Tom Breacker said after the game that the colourful manager will be fine: "Just before the end of the game, the club doctor informed me Ollie's fit and good and on his way home now.

"I haven't spoken to him personally but the club doctor told me Ian had a kidney stone, which can be very painful.

"I am sure he will soon be back to his bubbly self and we wish him well. Hopefully I will get to speak to him soon."

Breacker felt Holloway's absence led to his side starting slowly: "We gave ourselves a mountain to climb and they played a different shape, which we thought they might, and that threw us a little bit as well.

"But gradually we got back into it and got the goal, although we did not get ourselves much time to get another one."

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