The points were shared at The University of Bradford Stadium, as Argyle drew 1-1 with Bradford City in a tense game in Sky Bet League One.
Brendan Wiredu opened the scoring just eight minutes into the evening, but the hosts responded midway through the second-half, Will Swan scoring off the bench.
Tom Cleverley opted to make two changes to the side that beat AFC Wimbledon in London on Saturday afternoon.
Fresh from scoring off the bench, Bim Pepple was handed his first start since Good Friday, with Caleb Watts the player to make way.
The second change was enforced; Joe Edwards was absent due to his wife giving birth, meaning Brendan Galloway came into the side at left-back. Wes Harding shifted across the back four to fill Edwards’ vacant spot on the right side of defence.
This meant that it was Conor Hazard in goal, with a back four ahead of him containing Harding, Mathias Ross, Alex Mitchell, and Galloway, from right to left.
Malachi Boateng held down the centre of the park and was accompanied by Wiredu.
Ronan Curtis featured on the right flank, with Dale playing in the same role, but on the left. Up front, Lorent Tolaj – who had scored three in his last three – played alongside Pepple.
Bradford thought they had the lead after just four minutes when George Lapslie converted Kayden Jackson’s cross. However, the linesman had raised his flag, and the goal was disallowed; the Bradford scorer had strayed just offside before firing past Hazard.
It seemed as though this early scare gave Cleverley’s side a wake-up call, as they then got on the front foot and began to turn the screw.
Ultimately, this momentum led to the game’s opening goal, Wiredu the scorer. It was a trademark quality corner from Curtis, which was met by Tolaj at the near post and headed further into the box.
Wiredu had managed to find enough space to allow the ball to drop, before curling a side-footed volley off the bottom of the crossbar and into the back of the net.
The hosts tried to wrestle back control, but struggled. The Greens were doing the basics well: closing down, winning the ball back, and transitioning quickly.
There was end-to-end action as the first-half passed its midpoint; Stephen Humphrys’ headed effort was cleared off the line by Mitchell before Pepple countered and fed Tolaj, who forced a great low save from Sam Walker.
It was a horribly familiar tale for Galloway, who went down injured and could not continue, just before the half-hour mark. Matty Sorinola was brought on to replace him at left-back.
With the crowd behind them, the hosts really began to apply the pressure as the half drew towards its close. Bradford were causing issues with some great deliveries in the box, forcing regular interventions from the Greens’ backline.
Argyle did keep Bradford honest; Tolaj and Pepple were battling well with the Bantams’ back three, forcing them to keep bodies back in defence.
Cleverley’s side made it to the interval with their 0-1 lead intact, but it was clear that the job was far from done.
The Bantams continued to apply pressure early in the second-half; it was important that Argyle rode out this spell and did not give Bradford any way back into the game.
Despite this, Hazard was not really tested. In fact, Bradford’s best effort of the opening exchanges was a shot from Max Power that landed in the upper tier of the stand behind the goal.
Watts was brought on for Wiredu just after the hour mark, with the 24-year-old slotting into the centre of midfield alongside Boateng.
There was a golden chance for the Pilgrims to double their advantage shortly after the substitution. Ross’s header from a set-piece bounced off Power to Pepple, who curled a half-volley just inches wide of the post.
Bradford then had a chance of their own; Humphrys’ header at the back post was diverted away by Mitchell.
However, when the hosts attacked again, they could not be stopped. Humphrys, who had looked good all evening, skipped away from both Curtis and Harding with ease before driving a low effort at Hazard.
The goalkeeper could not hold the shot, instead spilling it into the path of Swan, who - just yards out - made no mistake.
With the game now level, it looked a tough task for the Pilgrims to respond, Bradford – buoyed by the crowd – continued to push on.
In an attempt to change the game, Cleverley brought Xavier Amaechi on for Dale.
With both teams desperate to win, play began to open up. Despite Bradford having the majority of the ball, it felt as though the Greens may be able to find an opportunity on the break.
It came, just two minutes before the final whistle. Curtis was found in space on the left; he darted away from Joe Wright and then Curtis Tilt but was unable to find an angle to get a shot away.
He was forced to play back to Tolaj, who blasted an effort well over the crossbar.
The pressure began to build from the Pilgrims; suddenly, they seemed the team more likely to score in the five minutes of second-half stoppage time.
Despite a late Amaechi free-kick, a Harding long-throw, and a brief Mitchell cameo up-front, Argyle were unable to find a winning goal; the game ended 1-1 when referee Jamie O’Connor blew the full-time whistle.
With both Stevenage and Luton winning, the Greens lost ground in the race for the playoffs. The gap to sixth has stretched to four points; Cleverley’s side must respond with a win against Port Vale at Home Park on Saturday.
Bradford City: 1 Sam Walker, 3 Ibou Touray, 4 Joe Wright, 6 Max Power, 7 Josh Neufville (22 Nick Powell, 63), 11 Stephen Humphrys (28 Matthew Pennington, 90+1), 15 Aden Baldwin, 19 Kayden Jackson, 21 Jenson Metcalfe (24 Will Swan, 63), 26 Curtis Tilt, 32 George Lapslie. Substitutes: 25 Joe Hilton, 8 Lee Evans, 27 Ethan Wheatley, 33 Harrison Ashby.
Goals: Swan 72
Booked: Lapslie 90+4
Argyle: 1 Conor Hazard, 2 Mathias Ross (capt), 4 Brendan Wiredu (17 Caleb Watts, 61), 9 Lorent Tolaj, 15 Alex Mitchell, 19 Malachi Boateng, 22 Brendan Galloway (29 Matty Sorinola, 29), 27 Bim Pepple, 28 Ronan Curtis, 35 Owen Dale (10 Xavier Amaechi, 80), 45 Wes Harding. Substitutes: 21 Luca Ashby-Hammond (gk), 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 7 Jamie Paterson, 18 Owen Oseni.
Goals: Wiredu 8
Booked: Mitchell 25, Boateng 36, Dale 55, Sorinola 74, Pepple 84
Referee: Jamie O’Connor
Attendance: 18,475 (812 away)
