Town again failed to take three points from a home game as a limited but hardworking Plymouth side left Portman Road with a point. The Blues were unlucky not to be in front after a first half in which Jon Stead hit the post, but were less impressive after the break.

The Blues made two changes to the side which defeated Barnsley on Tuesday, Pablo Couñago coming in for Kevin Lisbie up front and Owen Garvan taking over from Alan Quinn in central midfield. Former Town loanee Simon Walton started in central midfield for the Pilgrims.

With a cold, blustery wind making it difficult to judge high balls, Town started strongly and won a number of early corners. In the third minute Garvan sent one in from the left and Jon Stead had a header cleared off the line, Couñago and then Balkestein both having subsequent efforts blocked.

Two minutes later, there were calls for a Town penalty when Krisztian Timar pulled Couñago inside the area, but referee Darren Deadman wasn't interested. However, it appeared to be a very good shout for a spotkick.

Balkestein had a shot blocked for yet another Town corner with the game being played almost entirely in the visitors' half of the field.

On 17 Miller played in Couñago, but the Spaniard took the ball out of play when rounding the keeper. Moments later, Paul Gallagher struck Plymouth's first serious effort of the game weakly to Richard Wright after Balkestein had lost possession on halfway.

Walton shot wide from the edge of the box in the 21st minute, although he appeared to handle the ball as it came to him, something not spotted by the referee.

Couñago and Walters carved out a chance for Miller, but he fired straight at Plymouth keeper Romain Larrieu.

The Spaniard was putting in an impressive first half display, as his did at Chelsea a week ago, and in the 28th minute he sent Walters away on the right. The former Chester man crossed and Stead volleyed powerfully against the outside of the post. The move and the strike deserved a goal.

Plymouth's lone striker Jamie Mackie was perhaps fortunate to receive only a yellow card in the 32nd minute when he caught Alex Bruce in the face with a raised elbow well after the ball had gone. Referee Deadman had been surprisingly lenient given his card-happy reputation and might well have already booked a couple of Plymouth players prior to Mackie's caution. The incident was the start of an ongoing spat between the Argyle striker and Bruce.

Town continued to put on the pressure with Bruce and Balkestein having shots blocked and then Garvan going wide. Two minutes later Balkestein went well over when well positioned inside the area.

Chris Clark hammered a freekick into the Town wall on 44, Walton hitting the loose ball well over.

As the half ended, Bruce and Mackie again clashed, their team-mates keeping them apart as they made their way to the tunnel with referee Deadman seemingly not interested in intervening.

The Blues had done everything but score in a first half which they had almost completely dominated. The Pilgrims had clearly come for a point and stuck everyone but the fortunate-to-still-be-on-the-field Mackie behind the ball for most of the first 45 minutes.

As has been the case so often this season, Town started the second half slowly with Plymouth showing their first real intent to attack in the opening minutes, now having the better of the still windy conditions.

On 46 Gareth McAuley was booked for a foul on Mackie on the edge of the area, Walton wafting the freekick miles over.

David McNamee joined the Town skipper in the referee's book two minutes later for a foul on former Plymouth man David Norris. Soon after, Gallagher shot straight at Richard Wright.

Argyle's best chance of the game came in the 51st minute when Mackie crossed from left and Rory Fallon hit the bar from close in, the rebound from Walton looping tamely to Richard Wright.

A minute later, Plymouth defenders Krisztian Timar and Chris Barker collided inside the area allowing Walters a free shot at goal, but the Town man wildly lashed over the bar when he really should have scored.

There was a scare for Town on 54 when Balkestein lost the ball to Mackie 35 yards out but somehow managed to get back to make a fine saving challenge.

Kevin Lisbie replaced David Norris on 64 with the Blues still looking far less of a force than they had been in the first half, Jon Stead moving to left midfield.

Plymouth looked a better side in the second period having come out with a less negative approach. They had another good chance in the 65th minute when Alex Bruce lost possession in a dangerous area, the ball eventually falling to Chris Clark, who shot over.

Walters found Stead with an excellent cross-field pass in the 70th minute but the former Sheffield United man could only manage a weak effort to Larrieu. Haynes took over from Stead two minutes later with Walters moving to the left flank.

Town were now starting to step up the pressure with Plymouth having for the most part having retreated back to the edge of their own penalty area. On 76, David McNamee did well to stick out a leg to stop a goalbound Walters effort.

In the 84th minute, there was another call for a Town penalty when Haynes crossed from the right and a Plymouth hand appeared to put the ball out of play as Lisbie tried to flick it goalwards at the near post. However, the linesman and referee failed to spot it and gave a goalkick. If anything it was more clear-cut than the penalty incident in the first half.

Danny Haynes had a chance to win the game for the Blues in the 87th minute when Kevin Lisbie's knockdown fell to him eight yards out, but the substitute scraped the ball just wide of the post when he probably should have done better.

Mackie had the ball in the Town net on 88 but the linesman's flag had already been raised, prior to Larrieu saving well from Alex Bruce at the far post from a Miller corner.

Town were still looking for that elusive goal as the game moved into three minutes of injury time, a period which hardly seemed sufficient given the length of time it had taken Larrieu to take goalkicks in the second half.

The Blues' last chance came from a Walters cross from the left, Lisbie flicking on a header but Larrieu blocking at close range. A foot or so either side of the Argyle keeper and Town would have had the three points.

All in all it was that kind of frustrating afternoon, Town had been much the better side in the first half when they really should have made their dominance count, but after the break were less impressive.

Too often there was a lack of quality about balls played into the box and when chances were created they weren't stuck away, while on another day the referee might have awarded Town at least one penalty and the Pilgrims might have found themselves down to 10 men after Mackie's challenge on Bruce.

Town continue to be significantly less of a force at home, where they feel under more pressure to succeed, than they are away where victories are much easier to come by. That said, the first half performance was well worthy of winning the three points, while Town's backline remains resolute and kept another clean sheet.

Town: R Wright, Bruce, D Wright, McAuley, Balkestein, Garvan, Miller, Norris (Lisbie 64), Walters, Couñago, Stead (Haynes 72). Unused: Supple, Quinn, Thatcher: Att: 20,333.

Photo: Action Images

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