Match ends, Plymouth Argyle 0, Portsmouth 0.
PlymouthPlymouth Argyle0PortsmouthPortsmouth0
Plymouth slipped to sixth as they survived late drama to claim a goalless draw against close play-off rivals Portsmouth.
Pompey winger Jamal Lowe rounded Argyle stand-in keeper Kyle Letheren in the last minute of normal time but his shot was cleared off the line by Plymouth's on-loan Bristol City central defender Zak Vyner.
Seconds later Portsmouth skipper Brett Pitman's powerful stoppage-time header crashed off the face of the bar.
That was as close as either side came to scoring in an engrossing encounter between the South Coast League One play-off rivals.
At the other end, Plymouth playmaker Graham Carey tested Pompey keeper Luke McGee with a drilled left-footed drive.
Carey twice came close before that shot with two audacious efforts from the edge of the box.
The first in the 49th minute drifted just over the bar and the second - not long after - went even closer as Plymouth pressed for an opener.
In the first half the best efforts fell to Lowe, whose shot was saved by Letheren, and Pitman, who scuffed a Lowe cross from six yards out.
Argyle's best first-half chance came when Ruben Lameiras sent a cross flying over from the right but just out of the reach of striker Joel Grant.
Grant was called up as Argyle target man Ryan Taylor was ruled out of taking his place in Argyle's winning line-up.
Report supplied by Press Association.
Line-ups
Plymouth
Formation 4-3-3
- 25Letheren
- 18Threlkeld
- 22Vyner
- 15Bradley
- 3SawyerSubstituted forTaylor-Sinclairat 72'minutes
- 14Makasi
- 24Fox
- 6Ness
- 10Carey
- 16Grant
- 11LameirasSubstituted forFletcherat 89'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Miller
- 4Songo'o
- 17Taylor-Sinclair
- 27Fletcher
- 30Paton
- 31Cooper
- 33Sangster
Portsmouth
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1McGee
- 20Thompson
- 5Clarke
- 16Whatmough
- 17Donohue
- 7O'KeefeSubstituted forRonanat 58'minutes
- 18Lowe
- 26Evans
- 33Close
- 22Naismith
- 8Pitman
Substitutes
- 6Burgess
- 9Hawkins
- 14Ronan
- 19Chaplin
- 29Deslandes
- 35Bass
- 38Haunstrup
- Referee:
- Dean Whitestone
- Attendance:
- 14,634
Match Stats
Home TeamPlymouthAway TeamPortsmouth
- Possession
- Home60%
- Away40%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away4
- Corners
- Home2
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away15
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Plymouth Argyle 0, Portsmouth 0.
Post update
Graham Carey (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Jack Whatmough (Portsmouth).
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Moses Makasi (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Jamal Lowe (Portsmouth).
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Attempt blocked. Jamal Lowe (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by David Fox (Plymouth Argyle).
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Kal Naismith (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Plymouth Argyle. Alex Fletcher replaces Ruben Lameiras.
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Oscar Threlkeld (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Kal Naismith (Portsmouth).
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Attempt missed. Jack Whatmough (Portsmouth) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
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Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Aaron Taylor-Sinclair.
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Attempt missed. Jamal Lowe (Portsmouth) header from a difficult angle on the left misses to the left.
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Attempt missed. Brett Pitman (Portsmouth) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
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Foul by David Fox (Plymouth Argyle).
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Connor Ronan (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Moses Makasi (Plymouth Argyle).
Post update
Brett Pitman (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
