Plymouth 2 West Brom 1: Baggies away woes continue after controversial equaliser

Tony Mowbray's visitors thought they had pocketed a hard-earned three points having finally found the breakthrough 16 minutes from time through substitute Jayson Molumby.

But Argyle sub Ryan Hardie struck twice, including an equaliser from the penalty spot, to deliver a real body blow to the Baggies.

The spot-kick was given by referee Dean Whitestone as a shot from close-range rocketed off Callum Styles midriff on to his outstretched arm.

The Baggies were hard done to but could have no complaints about the winner two minutes from time, a clinical finish after some shoddy defending, to earn the Pilgrims a first win in 16 league games.

The final 15 minutes were a rollercoaster of emotions after Molumby had scrambled in in front of the away end.

Albion, particularly boss Mowbray, were seething at the officials but were left to lick wounds at a second late Hardie sting near the death.

Albion are now winless in nine away games in all competitions back to November 10 - a run which is doing little to help play-off aspirations.

Tottenham hot-shot Will Lankshear checked in on loan on the eve of the contest and was uninvolved. It remains to be seen what Albion, with Bilkul director Ashish Patel watching on, do in the remaining few days of the transfer window.

Plymouth started quickly and had the partisan home crowd behind them. The Pilgrims unsettled Albion somewhat but could not create anything clear-cut with their strong start.

Skipper Adam Randell was played in on goal from a tight angle and Alex Palmer saved well, but the offside flag was raised.

Albion grew into the contest after a quarter of an hour with Mikey Johnston continuing his fine recent form as the Baggies' clear and obvious threat. 

Tom Fellows, on the other flank, had some rough treatment from Polish left wing-back Tymoteusz Puchacz which left his nose blooded and a cotton bud wedged to soak up blood.

Mowbray's men worked good areas but that in itself was a challenge against a sea of green. A five-man backline marshalled by new recruits Maksym Talovierov and Nikoa Katic proved a very tough nut to crack.

The ponytailed Tolovierov celebrated a sharp challenge on Styles like he had scored a goal.

Baggies efforts were few and far between. Alex Mowatt whistled one over from 25 yards as he, John Swift and Grady Diangana were tasked with trying to thread the eye of a needle.

Miron Muslic had the Pilgrims very well drilled but also happy to attack. The visitors were fortunate Callum Wright could not take a Randell pass into his path when through on goal. Mason Holgate also blocked well from Wright's header.

As half-time drew near in a competitive contest Albion defender Holgate might have done better to turn a fine Swift free-kick delivery on target. Moments later the tricky Johnston had a deflected strike from range spilled by goalkeeper Conor Hazard, but nobody could follow up.

Albion were less assured at the beginning of the second half but carved out their best opening, or openings, to that point 10 minutes after the restart.

A corner was hooked goalwards by Torbjorn Heggem and Hazard made the stock in a crowded six-yard box. The rebound fell Johnston's way but the winger's follow-up was very well stopped and held by Hazard.

The clash was bubbling up as Diangana nodded in at the back post from Heggem's corner to send the away end wild - for all of a second as Diangana was flagged offside. It was correct - fractionally.

Mowbray rolled the dice after the hour with Isaac Price, Karlan Grant and Molumby introduced.

Price was a couple of feet from a dream introduction and his first Baggies goal as he leathered a sweetly-struck half-volley narrowly off target.

The clash was on a knife-edge but exploded in the final 20 minutes.

The Baggies forced a breakthrough with 16 minutes left. New boy Price was involved, as was Furlong in a move down the right. The rest was down to skipper Jed Wallace and Molumby.

Wallace spun his man expertly to go in on ball at a tight right angle. He took his time to pick out a perfect low pass into the six-yard box and there was Molumby, who showed so much grit to get on the end and bundle home in front of a delirious 1,700-strong away end.

The lead lasted just three minutes with Plymouth's leveller shrouded in controversy.

Hardie's shot from the corner of the box cannoned into Styles. The ball struck his upper torso and then on to an outstretched arm. Referee Whitestone pointed to the spot even though the ball cannoned off another part of the body. Albion were very hard done to.

Hardie made no mistake from 12 yards.

Former Argyle loanee Palmer made a huge stop to deny subs Michael Obafemi but could do nothing about Hardie's winner two minutes from time.

Heggem had a tough afternoon and he missed a chance to clear the cross. Hardie's first effort was blocked and the second was finished low into the far corner with aplomb to leave beaten Albion frustrated.

Plymouth (3-5-1-1): Hazard; Talovierov, Pleguezuelo, Katic (Palsson, 77); Sorinola, Houghton (Gyabi, 85), Randell (c), Puchacz, Wright (Hardie, 71); Baidoo (Al Hajj, 45); Bundu (Obafemi, 70).

Subs not used: Grimshaw, Mumba, Ogbeta, Tijani.

Albion (4-4-2): Palmer; Furlong, Holgate, Heggem, Styles; Fellows (Price, 63), Mowatt, Swift (Molumby, 63), Johnston (Grant, 63); Diangana (Cole, 90+1), Wallace (c) (Diakite, 84).

Subs not used: Wildsmith, Bartley, Frabotta, Whitwell. 

Attendance: 16,870 (~1,700 Albion fans)

Referee: Dean Whitestone