Argyle Women were forced to settle for a point on Sunday, when AFC Wimbledon scored late to deny the Pilgrims a fourth straight home win.
Phoebie Poole’s first-half penalty was cancelled out by Ellie Dorey’s header in the dying minutes, culminating a game in which the Greens had dominated.
The Greens started extremely positively, causing issues for Wimbledon’s right-hand side, but defensive efforts in the final third from the Dons kept the game level for the opening 20 minutes of the tie.
Near the half-hour mark, the breakthrough was found. Olivia Francis picked up the ball inside the area and, whilst moving forward, got a shot away at goal, but was taken out in the process by a sliding Hannah Mackenzie, and a penalty was awarded.
Goalkeeper Rose Kite was booked for trying to delay the penalty kick being taken, but it did not faze Poole, who slammed home from the spot.
The remaining 15 minutes of the half saw little action; however, a superb sliding recovery challenge from Roisin Kivel did stop a developing Wimbledon attack by Argyle’s 18-yard box.
In the second half, Argyle continued to hunt for their second goal but could not find it, despite their territorial dominance. Francis fired a long-range effort which was saved by Kite; Poole fired over the bar; Charlotte Whitmore headed wide from close range.
Marie Hourihan turned to her bench, introducing on-loan winger Tianna Teisar, and the Welsh forward had an instant impact. She drove towards goal, clipping the ball over the onrushing Kite, but her effort rolled wide of the post and out for a goal-kick.
More chances fell to Argyle, with the best coming from Poole’s cutback across the face of goal to Teisar, after Francis stole the ball inside the Wimbledon box, but it did not find the feet of the arriving forward.
Two minutes before additional time - which ended up being ten minutes - the Dons equalised. Dorey found space inside the Argyle area and headed home from a free-kick. The deflation for Argyle was palpable.
The Pilgrims hunted for a winner in the dying minutes, with many a visiting player getting booked for fouls and delaying the restart, but Wimbledon held out and will have been far happier with the point than their hosts.
Argyle: 1 Hermione Cull, 6 Layla Proctor, 7 Charlotte Whitmore (9 Tianna Teisar, 63), 8 Imy Crawford (capt), 9 Phoebie Poole, 11 Roisin Kivel, 14 Katie Wilson, 18 Caitlin Smith, 19 Ellie Noble (17 Paris Dalton, 80), 23 Olivia Francis, 26 Arabella Suttie. Substitutes: 21 Eilish Brogan (gk), 2 Katie Dickson, 5 Giota Papaioannou, 27 Sienna Gilbert.
Goal: Poole 28.
Yellow cards: Dalton 85, Wilson 90.
AFC Wimbledon: 1 Rose Kite, 2 Rosie Russell (18 Nadia Sabania, 87), 5 Kelly Highman, 6 Hannah Mackenzie, 7 McLachlan, 9 Ashlee Hincks (capt), 10 Ellie Dorey, 12 Iola Cotter, 20 Hannah Billingham, 22 Emily Wallace, 23 Kaylee Buckingham (11 Alisha Buckingham, 75). Substitutes: 19 Kelly-Jade Whelan, 21 Amelia Ajao, 24 Mollie Peachy.
Goal: Dorey 88.
Yellow cards: Rose 28, Hincks 42, A.Buckingham 90, McLachlan 90+1.
Attendance: 740
Referee: Amith Gunarathna Maha Vidanage.
