Argyle 1
Tsoumou 55

Cheltenham Town 2
MacLean 23, Pack 56

by RICK COWDERY

IN the end, a fixture which, for many weeks, looked as though it would be vital for both sides, counted for nothing.

Argyle had long since survived against the odds; Cheltenham's position in the table was cemented. They will play-off against Torquay United for a place at Wembley.

Neither side was at anything like full strength. Argyle's spine - Walts, Pursey, Wottsy, Chads: three skippers among them - was watching from the Mayflower.

They, like the rest of us, saw an entertaining game in which the side issues were more interesting than the destination of three fairly.

Inevitably, former Pilgrim Steve MaClean was the subject of the Devonport end's ire; equally inevitably, he gave as good as he got, most notably after his deflected free-kick fired the Robins ahead.

The same fans that Macca had treated to an up-yours elbow after a late equaliser for Argyle against QPR were this time treated to the ears. His eardrums will have throbbed a little.

Argyle manager made two substitutions at half-time, bringing on Juvhel Tsoumou and Joe Lennox, and the former marked the last game of his loan spell from Preston with headed goal, powerfully converting Onismor Bhasera's cross ten minutes after the break.

It was Fletch's final substitution, though - after Cheltenham responded to Juvie's strike within a minute to regain the lead through Marlon Pack - that provided the moment for which most of Home Park had been waiting.

Off trotted Jake Cole and, for the 318th and last time, Romain Larrieu represented Plymouth Argyle.

If nothing else about the day mattered, that did.

Argyle (4-4-2): 23 Jake Cole (1 Romain Larrieu 86); 2 Durrell Berry, 6 Curtis Nelson, 22 Maxime Blanchard (capt), 3 Robbie Williams (21 Joe Lennox half-time); 15 Luke Young, 13 Ladjie Soukouna, 20 Conor Hourihane, 14 Onismor Bhasera; 11 Warren Feeney, 32 Alex MacDonald (9 Juvhel Tsoumou half-time). Substitutes (not used): 17 Jared Sims, 28 Paul Bignot.

Booked: Bhasera 69.

Cheltenham Town (4-4-2): 1 Scott Brown; 22 Sido Jombati, 2 Keith Lowe, 24 Harry Hooman, 19 Luke Garbutt (21 Bagasan Graham 62); 11 Brian Smikle, 7 Marlon Pack (capt), 20 Jermaine McGlashlan, 17 Theo Lewis (25 Luke Summerfield 81); 30 Steve MacLean (14 James Spencer 76), Jeff Goulding. Substitutes (not used): 23 Kaid Mohammed, 29 Ben Burgess.

Referee: Phillip Gibbs.

Attendance: 8,342 (452 away).