Argyle taking play-off race to the wire after Port Vale win

Striker Bim Pepple scored both goals for the Pilgrims, who were reduced to 10 players after goalkeeper Conor Hazard was sent-off for deliberately handling the ball outside the penalty area in only the fifth minute.

Argyle’s 10th home league win of the season kept them in eighth place in the table, a point behind Luton Town, who beat Barnsley 2-1 at home, and two adrift of Stevenage, who are in the last of the four play-off positions after they drew 1-1 at Doncaster Rovers.

When Pepple fired the Pilgrims into a third minute lead against already relegated Vale it briefly looked like they could go on and clinch a comfortable victory.

However, Hazard was red-carded soon afterwards and Vale did not take long to equalise as defender Connor Hall headed home following a corner.

Argyle stayed in the game after that, though, with substitute goalkeeper Luca Ashby-Hammond making some important saves.

Pepple then restored the Pilgrims’ advantage in the 47th minute with his 18th goal of the season as he scored with a fine left-foot finish and that proved to be the difference between the two sides come the final whistle.

It all sets up for a dramatic final day of the season for Tom Cleverley’s Argyle, who are away to bottom-of-the-table Northampton Town, while Stevenage will host Wigan Athletic and Luton are away to Bolton Wanderers.

Joe Edwards returned to captain Argyle against Port Vale and there was also a start for Caleb Watts in two changes to the team from the 1-1 draw at Bradford City.

Edwards had missed the match in West Yorkshire after his wife, Hannah, gave birth to a baby boy, while Watts played in that game as a second half substitute.

Brendan Galloway was ruled out by the injury he picked up against Bradford and with Edwards returning to the team it meant Wes Harding could move across to left-back.

Watts took over the place in central midfield alongside Malachi Boateng, who was making his 45th successive start of the league campaign, from Brendan Wiredu, who dropped down to the bench.

Also named among the substitutes for the Pilgrims was midfielder Bradley Ibrahim as he returned to duty after an ankle injury.

Argyle top scorer Lorent Tolaj and right-sided midfielder Ronan Curtis had both started the season with Vale but lined up against them on the penultimate Saturday of the regular season.

On a gloriously sunny late April afternoon, Argyle opened the scoring in only the third minute from their first attack of the match.

Tolaj ran at the retreating Vale defence before playing the ball through to his strike partner Pepple and he confidently slotted past Joe Gauci for his 17th goal of the season in all competitions.

An eventful start to the match continued when Argyle were reduced to 10 players in the fifth minute after a red card for Hazard.

Vale’s Onel Hernandez played a long ball forward and Hazard misjudged the bounce of it as he came out to the edge of the penalty area.

The Northern Ireland international had strayed just outside the box when he deliberately handled the ball to prevent striker Martin Sherif getting to it.

It was a simple decision for referee Isaac Searle to show a red card and Hazard, who is out of contract this summer, made the long walk from the goal at the Devonport End towards the changing rooms.

There was a brief delay as Ashby-Hammond got ready to replace Hazard between the posts, with Watts the player sacrificed to make way for the ‘keeper.

Vale had been awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area and it was played short to Ben Waine, the former Argyle striker, whose shot was blocked by Edwards.

Argyle’s lead only lasted until the 14th minute when, following a short corner, Jordan Shipley put in a deep cross and the ball went over Harding and was headed home by Connor Hall from a narrow angle.

That only further infuriated the Pilgrims, who felt they should have been awarded a free-kick for a handball by Jaheim Headley in the build-up to the corner.

Tolaj would have been desperate to score against Vale and he went close with a spectacular bicycle kick from inside the 18-yard area which flew just wide of the goal.

Ashby-Hammond made a good save from Shipley, and an even better low stop down by his left post from Ryan Croasdale just moments later as Vale went close to taking the lead.

Argyle’s substitute ‘keeper made another good stop from a Croasdale strike towards the end of the first half and Waine then had a shot deflected behind for a corner.

Five minutes of added time were played by Searle and Ashby-Hammond did well to get down to a low drive from Shipley which clipped off Edwards on its way towards the goal.

Then, from Argyle’s next attack, Pepple had a deflected shot which looped over Gauci and landed on the top of the net as it remained 1-1 until the break.

Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley speedily headed for the home changing room at the sound of the half-time whistle so he could pass on instructions to his 10-man team.

Whatever was said, the Pilgrims made a fast start to the second period as they regained the lead in the 47th minute when Pepple pounced on a loose ball and drove forward before drilling a left-foot shot into the far corner of the net.

Argyle had another scoring chance when defender Alex Mitchell got on the end of an outswinging corner from Curtis and sent his header over the bar and into the Devonport End.

Tolaj headed wide after a long throw-in from Harding caused problems for the Vale defence and the Swiss striker also had a left-foot attempt deflected narrowly wide of the goal for a corner soon afterwards.

Curtis received a tremendous ovation from the Green Army when he was substituted for Matty Sorinola in the 66th minute in Argyle’s second substitution of the match.

Pepple then very nearly completed his hat-trick with a fiercely-struck, rising shot which flew just over the bar and not long later Tolaj was also off target with a left-foot drive as the Pilgrims pushed for a third goal of the game.

Wiredu was sent on as a 73rd minute substitute for Pepple as Cleverley used his third and final substitution window to make another change to his side.

Sorinola played on the right side of midfield for Argyle, giving defensive support for Edwards as Vale pushed for a second equaliser of the game.

Tolaj threatened to break clear for the Pilgrims as he raced through the centre of the pitch but covering Vale defender Liam Gordon got there just in front of him to make a clearance.

There was a near miss for the away side as the game went into six minutes of added time when a shot from Grant Ward was deflected narrowly wide of the near post as Ashby-Hammond went the other way.

Vale forced a series of late corners and when Ashby-Hammond came out to confidently collect one of them there was a huge roar around Home Park, and one just as loud a few seconds later as the final whistle sounded..

ARGYLE: Conor Hazard; Joe Edwards, Mathias Ross, Alex Mitchell, Wes Harding; Ronan Curtis (Matty Sorinola 66 mins), Malachi Boateng, Caleb Watts (Luca Ashby-Hammond 8 mins), Owen Dale; Lorent Tolaj, Bim Pepple (Brendan Wiredu 73 mins).

Substitutes (not used): Julio Pleguezuelo, Xavier Amaechi, Owen Oseni, Bradley Ibrahim.

PORT VALE: Joe Gauci; Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel, Cameron Humphreys, Connor Hall (Liam Gordon h/t), Jaheim Headley (Dajaune Brown 80 mins); Jordan Shipley (Grant Ward 55 mins), Ryan Croasdale (Rhys Walters 55 mins); Onel Hernandez, Ben Waine, Ethon Archer (George Hall 71 mins); Martin Sherif.

Substitutes (not used): Ben Amos, Tyler Magloire.

REFEREE: Isaac Searle

ATTENDANCE: 16,129 (355)

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