Argyle fell to Devon Derby defeat against Exeter City at St James Park on Thursday evening.
Goals in each half from Reece Cole and Akeel Higgins, respectively, proved the difference between the two sides on the night.
Tom Cleverley made four changes to the side that lost narrowly at Home Park against AFC Wimbledon last Saturday.
Two of those came in defence; Mathias Ross and Bali Mumba dropped to the bench and were replaced by Brendan Galloway and Matty Sorinola.
Jamie Paterson was preferred in midfield to Law McCabe; the 33-year-old came in to make his first league start for the Greens.
The final change saw a swap in strikers, Bim Pepple took the place of Owen Oseni.
Therefore, it was Conor Hazard in goal, with a back three ahead of him featuring Brendan Wiredu, Alex Mitchell, and Galloway.
Joe Edwards made his 250th appearance for Argyle at right-wing back, Sorinola offered support on the other flank.
Combative pair Malachi Boateng and Bradley Ibrahim featured as the two deepest midfielders, with Paterson playing just ahead as an attacking playmaker.
With the slight tweak in formation to accommodate a front two, birthday boy Lorent Tolaj was partnered by Pepple upfront.
The hosts had the first chance of the game; Cole’s cross deflected awkwardly through the legs of Wiredu and to Danny Andrew on the edge of the penalty area.
The wing-back’s first-time strike easily cleared both the crossbar, and the roof of the St James Road Stand, in which Argyle’s travelling contingent were situated.
Minutes later, at the other end of the pitch, Wiredu had the ball in the back of the net. Unfortunately for the Greens, the linesman’s flag was raised for offside, despite the ball seemingly ricocheting off Exeter’s Jack McMillan before it fell to the Argyle defender.
Exeter’s early pressure continued, both Jayden Wareham and Cole had chances before McMillan teed up Ilmari Niskanen, who curled an effort off the upright.
When the ball presented itself to Cole in a dangerous position for a third time inside the opening 20 minutes, the forward made sure on this occasion to take his chance.
Wareham’s flick-on caused Wiredu problems; his attempted challenge bounced off both Niskanen and Sorinola before falling to Hazard, who could only find 15 yards with his clearance.
Unchallenged, Cole picked the ball up midway inside the Pilgrims’ half and slotted it past Hazard from range, the Greens’ keeper helpless and still a distance from his goal-line at this point.
Cleverley’s side responded with attacking intensity and endeavour. Pepple curled a dangerous low cross into the area which just evaded Edwards, before moments later Tolaj saw an acrobatic effort saved by Joe Whitworth.
Chances continued to follow for Argyle, Pepple’s flicked header had Whitworth beaten, and looked destined to find the back of the net had it not been for a last-ditch headed clearance from Andrew.
Half-time provided an opportunity for Cleverley’s side to reset, with an added importance in the second period of continuing to create meaningful chances to get themselves back in the game.
The Argyle Head Coach was the first to turn to his bench, bringing on Ross at the interval to replace Mitchell in the heart of the Greens’ back three.
The hosts had a pair of chances to double their lead early in the second-half. Higgins’ tame effort on goal was blocked by Wiredu’s trailing leg before Hazard parried away Wareham’s follow-up header.
With Argyle keen to commit bodies forward in an attempt to find an equaliser, gaps began to appear in transition. It would be one of these gaps that wide-man Higgins exploited to double Exeter’s lead.
Edwards’ headed clearance was picked up in the centre circle by Ethan Brieley,and lofted forwards towards Higgins without hesitation.
The forward held his run well and sprinted through on goal, lofting the ball over Hazard and into the back of the net to make it two-nil just before the hour mark.
In the immediate aftermath of the goal, Cleverley turned once again to his bench, bringing on Mumba for Edwards.
The Pilgrims continued to threaten Whitworth’s goal, Tolaj had a close-range effort well blocked by Ed Turns, and Ibrahim fired an effort over the bar.
The introduction of Owen Dale for Wiredu meant a change in formation. Argyle swapped to a 4-4-2; Sorinola, Ross, Galloway, and Mumba made up the back four. Ibrahim and Boateng held central-midfield and were flanked by Dale on the right and Paterson on the left. Tolaj and Pepple continued to lead the line.
Cleverley’s final roll of the dice came in the final ten minutes, Oseni and Caleb Roberts offered fresh legs as Pepple and Ibrahim made way.
Despite changes to the system and personnel, the Greens were unable to find a way back into the game and fell to defeat at St James’ Park.
Argyle are back in action next Tuesday when they travel to Mansfield Town in Sky Bet League One.
Exeter: 1 Joe Whitworth, 2 Jack McMillan, 4 Ed Turns, 5 Jack Fitzwater, 6 Ethan Brieley, 9 Jayden Wareham (27 Josh Magennis, 70), 12 Reece Cole (29 Kevin McDonald, 84), 14 Ilmari Niskanen, 17 Akeel Higgins (10 Jack Aitchison, 71), 21 Danny Andrew (20 Luca Woodhouse, 92), 26 Pierce Sweeney (capt). Substitutes: 23 Jack Bycroft (gk), 34 Liam Oakes, 37 Kieran Wilson.
Goals: Cole 19, Higgins 58
Booked: Sweeney 28, Andrew 40, McMillan 76
Argyle: 1 Conor Hazard, 4 Brendan Wiredu (35 Owen Dale, 71), 7 Jamie Paterson, 8 Joe Edwards (capt) (11 Bali Mumba, 61), 9 Lorent Tolaj, 15 Alex Mitchell (2 Mathias Ross, 46), 19 Malachi Boateng, 22 Brendan Galloway, 23 Bradley Ibrahim (24 Caleb Roberts, 81), 27 Bim Pepple (18 Owen Oseni, 81),29 Matty Sorinola. Substitutes: 21 Luca Ashby-Hammond (gk), 6 Kornel Szucs.
Booked: Sorinola 78, Oseni 87
Referee: Alex Chilowicz
Attendance: 8,262