Argyle’s grit and determination drove them to a hard-earned point on Wednesday evening, facing Luton Town away from home in the Sky Bet Championship.
Maksym Talovierov’s 70th-minute header cancelled out substitute Jacob Brown’s goal at Kenilworth Road, with 1-1 being the best both sides could muster after nearly 100 minutes of football.
The point moves Argyle closer to leaping out of the relegation zone, but teams ahead have games in hand which might favour them above Miron Muslic’s side.
The Argyle Head Coach, however, was delighted with the result following a tough defensive game and reminded everyone that full focus turns to an important match at Home Park on Saturday, 22 February, against Cardiff City.
“A deserved one [point],” Muslic told Argyle TV. “Nothing was easy for us today. It was a very physical and vertical game, with a million long balls to defend. Every throw-in from the sideline was into our box, so we did very well [to deal with it], especially after we conceded.
“We know our situation. The pressure is there, and the pressure is on, but that's just the new spirit we have. We are bouncing back and we must bounce back again. In Sunderland we bounced back, against West Brom, and tonight, so it's a point that we take.
“It can be a massive point for us if we can deliver on Saturday at Home Park as well and keep the three points. That is the plan, also.
“To be fair, [the intensity and pressure was] amazing. It felt like, ‘okay, this is England, this is the Championship and this, here, is Luton.’ It was a little bit old school in terms of atmosphere. The crowd was amazing today, both sides but especially the Green Army and their support.
“I'm also very, very happy that we scored our goal and equalised exactly in front of them. This point will give us a big boost to continue working.
“The support was fantastic. We need them again on Saturday. They have to get up early, be in the stadium and make Home Park a fortress again, and then we will keep the three points at home.”
Muslic and his staff watched a Luton substitution work in their favour and soon enough; after turning to his replacements and bringing on Kornel Szucs and Muhamed Tijani, Argyle had a goal of their own.
The Austrian credited both players' skillsets – and a bit of luck – as being key components of the equalising goal and breakdown of the hosts in the final stages of the game.
He said: “We had to be physical, turn the momentum and change the game into our side and our favour. We did it with Kornel because he's also very dangerous with long throw-ins.
“Suddenly, Luton had to defend the throw-ins and all defend in the box. I think the physicality also of Tijani helped us in the end, but you always need a little bit of luck and we had this with the substitutions.”
