REPORT | BLACKBURN ROVERS 1 ARGYLE 1
Blackburn Rovers 1
Szmodics 8
Argyle 1
Whittaker 74
Every point is precious at this stage of the season and Argyle thoroughly deserved something from their trip to Blackburn.
The Greens fell behind early to a Sammie Szmodics strike but then created a number of decent opportunities in the first period.
A red card for home defender Kyle McFadzean changed the complexion early in the second half and the Pilgrims finally got their reward, Morgan Whittaker scoring on the rebound for a draw.
Argyle boss Ian Foster made five changes to the side narrowly beaten at Sheffield Wednesday in midweek, with Michael Cooper, Bali Mumba, Jordan Houghton, Julio Pleguzuelo and Mustapha Bundu replacing Conor Hazard, Joe Edwards, Adam Randell, Brendan Galloway and Darko Gyabi.
Blackburn entered the game seeking their first win in eight games, and it took eight minutes for the opening goal to arrive. After a tight start from both teams, Szmodics continued his prolific season with a curling finish beyond Cooper from the edge of the penalty area.
Argyle regrouped and mustered their first shot in anger when the pace of Ryan Hardie broke through the home defence, latching on to threaded pass by Whittaker, but the final shot was close enough to Leo Wahlstedt for the Blackburn ‘keeper to palm it wide.
Whittaker swiftly picked up on a loose ball for another inviting delivery into the box, which only just eluded the deep run of Bundu. The positive Pilgrim response continued with Hardie again bursting through, this time from a defensive lapse, but his steered shot was a fraction off target.
Moments later, Rovers spurned a great chance to double their lead, Szmodics providing the square pass for the arriving Arnor Sigurdsson, who probably should have done better than a shot that rattled against the bar.
Hardie, however, continued to be a menace, cutting inside for a shot deflected wide before the Greens swept forward again with a glorious passing move that only needed a finish, as a heavy touch from Mumba allowed Wahlstedt to pounce on the ball.
Mickel Miller, on the opposite wing, then fired wide from a Lewis Gibson assist before Mumba retrieved the limelight with a dazzling run and shot that was blocked by the stretched home defence.
Half-time arrived with Argyle trailing but plenty of positives ahead of an important second period. The Greens were then given a major boost nine minutes after the restart, with McFadzean shown a straight red card for a professional foul on Hardie.
The subsequent Whittaker free-kick was saved by Wahlstedt but Argyle sensed blood, committing more men forward in search of a leveller. Blackburn, however, showed their threat with a swift counter that required fine tracking from Gibson and Ash Phillips to repel the danger.
Argyle replied with a fizzing low cross from Miller that was a fraction beyond Mumba before Sigurdsson fired into the arms of Cooper from a good position. Back to the Pilgrims, Hardie scuttling an effort wide of the post.
The Greens turned to the bench with 20 minutes remaining, Alfie Devine and Gyabi replacing Bundu and Pleguezuelo, with both immediately involved in the equaliser.
Gyabi swapped passes with Jordan Houghton to feed the ball wide for Miller, who cut back to Devine for a shot parried by Wahlstedt. Hardie and Whittaker both leapt on the rebound, and the ball was forced over the line by a jubilant Whittaker.
Rovers responded with a snapshot from Harry Pickering that forced Cooper into a superb save low to his left. The Greens refreshed the ranks even further by introducing Randell and Matty Sorinola for Houghton and Mumba.
Galloway for Phillips was the final Pilgrim change and the last act of a tense game was a cross from Sorinola flashing across the box with Argyle players just unable to get a touch.
Blackburn: 12 Leo Wahlstedt; 2 Callum Brittain, 3 Harry Pickering, 5 Dominic Hyam (capt), 7 Arnor Sigurdsson (19 Ryan Hedges 72), 8 Sammie Szmodics, 9 Sam Gallagher, 16 Scott Wharton, 21 John Buckley, 44 Yasin Ayali, 55 Kyle McFadzean. Substitutes (not used): 38 Nick Michalski (gk), 10 Tyrhys Dolan, 14 Billy Koumetio, 18 Dilan Markanday, 30 Jake Garrett, 33 Semir Telalovic, 45 Ben Chrisene.
Booked: Brittain 33, Ayali 90
Sent-off: McFadzean 54
Argyle: 1 Michael Cooper; 2 Bali Mumba (29 Matty Sorinola 80), 4 Jordan Houghton (capt) (20 Adam Randell 80), 5 Julio Pleguezuelo (16 Alfie Devine 72), 9 Ryan Hardie, 10 Morgan Whittaker, 14 Mickel Miller, 15 Mustapha Bundu (18 Darko Gyabi 72), 17 Lewis Gibson, 26 Ashley Phillips (22 Brendan Galloway 84), 27 Adam Forshaw. Substitutes (not used): 21 Conor Hazard (gk), 3 Lino Sousa, 8 Joe Edwards, 23 Ben Waine.
Booked: Mumba 56
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Attendance: 14,108 (1,458 away)