Argyle recover to record impressive win over Derby

Plymouth Argyle cemented their automatic League One promotion credentials as they came from a goal down to beat fellow high-fliers Derby County 2-1 at Home Park.

But Argyle markedly improved after the break and substitute Callum Wright ended an excellent move with a deflected equaliser.

The Pilgrims went ahead 10 minutes later thanks to Ryan Hardie's penalty, while the striker came close to a third with eight minutes to go.

The win keeps second-placed Argyle five points clear of third-placed Ipswich Town, who were 3-0 winners over Accrington, and draws them level on points with leaders Sheffield Wednesday, who have a superior goal difference and two games in hand.

A third successive away defeat for Derby County sees them drop to sixth place after Barnsley's win at Portsmouth.

The Rams came into the game having conceded seven goals in their last two away defeats, but impressed as their pressure stopped high-flying Argyle from settling.

Argyle had the first decent chance when Finn Azaz's low effort from the edge of the box flashed wide of the far post after some exceptional control by Hardie to send the Aston Villa loanee through.

But it was Derby who took the lead when Mendez-Laing beat the offside trap and rounded Callum Burton after David McGoldrick's overhead through ball.

Argyle skipper Joe Edwards' weak back-post header was the best chance they could muster at the break as the Rams' press kept a lid on their passing.

A bright first 10 minutes to the second half saw Craig Forsyth have a shot blocked and Tom Barkhuizen have a header saved for the visitors while Azaz had an effort blocked for the hosts, who also saw Edwards curl a long-range effort just past the angle of post and bar.

Argyle boss Steven Schumacher brought on Jay Matete and Wright 11 minutes after the break and the pair were instrumental in the Pilgrims' turnaround.

Sunderland loanee Matete skipped through the midfield for the equaliser as he found Azaz, whose first-time pass to Wright on the right of the penalty area gave him the time to tee up an effort that took a deflection that beat Derby keeper Joe Wildsmith.

The goal lifted the Pilgrims and 10 minutes later they were ahead. Azaz went down under a challenge from Harvey White for what seemed a soft penalty following some good build-up play, and Hardie fired low into the left corner for his 17th goal of the season.

Derby seemed to tire as the half went on and they could have been further behind when Hardie curled an effort just wide of the far post, while Wildsmith headed a stoppage-time corner wide as the visitors' outside hopes of automatic promotion appeared to evaporate as the gap between them and Argyle increased to 13 points.