Wallace strike earns Blues a point at Home Park
Jed Wallace struck his fourth goal of the season as Pompey came from behind to pick up a point at Plymouth.
The hosts took the lead when Yassin Moutaouakil’s error allowed skipper Conor Hourihane to score.
But the defender made amends later in the first half, with his cross leading to Wallace’s leveller.
Guy Whittingham made three changes from the side that won at Oxford in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy during the week.
Patrick Agyemang, Thery Racon and Joe Devera all returned to the side, with Gavin Mahon and Romain Padovani dropping to the bench and Marcos Painter out with a calf injury.
It was the hosts who looked brighter early on and Rommy Boco’s opportunistic long-range strike flew narrowly past the post.
Curtis Nelson then fired wide from close range after finding space in the box to meet a free-kick from the left.
Pompey’s first opportunity arrived after 10 minutes, but John Marquis was unable to turn Ricky Holmes’ cross on target.
Holmes then had a chance of his own, firing over after the Blues had showcased some neat passing in a quick counter-attacking move.
It was the hosts who broke the deadlock on 21 minutes, however, following a mistake at the back from Moutaouakil.
The full-back could only chest Durrell Berry’s cross into the path of Hourihane, who gratefully slammed the ball past Trevor Carson.
Pompey soon had a chance to equalise, but Sonny Bradley headed Holmes’ corner over from close range.
But the pace of the game soon slowed and a scuffed Wallace shot that crept wide did little to liven things up.
Agyemang made a better attempt on 34 minutes, though, surging forward from inside his own half and beating a couple of players, only to see his pass for Marquis intercepted.
Marquis then sent a curling 25-yard shot heading for the top corner, forcing Argyle keeper Luke McCormick into an acrobatic save.
But the Blues did draw level on 39 minutes, with Moutaouakil atoning for his earlier error by playing a key role in the equaliser.
The Frenchman’s cross from the right was flicked on by Marquis and WALLACE was left in acres of space to control the ball and smash it home.
Plymouth almost scored a second just before the break, but Reuben Reid’s drive took a deflection off Bradley to divert it inches past the post.
Half Time: Plymouth 1 Pompey 1
There was not too much to excite the Home Park crowd or the television audience at the start of the second half.
Hourihane did send a dangerous low ball across the face of goal, but there was nobody there to convert it.
Pompey, meanwhile, had an opportunity on the hour mark, but Bradley was only able to glance Holmes’ free-kick wide.
But neither side seemed too desperate to commit men forward in search of a second goal as the half continued to grow stale.
It did brighten up a bit on 73 minutes, however, as both sides had chances in quick succession.
First Argyle substitute Lewis Alessandra sent in a dangerous low cross that Reid – under pressure from Moutaouakil – turned wide from close range.
Agyemang then whipped a cross into the box from wide on the right that Marquis headed onto the roof of the net.
It was Plymouth’s turn to create an opening on 77 minutes, but this time Reid prodded the ball straight into Carson’s arms.
And the keeper was not overly bothered moments later when he caught Luke Young’s curling free-kick.
But he did make a decent save on 87 minutes, coming off his line and using his legs to divert Tyler Harvey’s drive to safety.
And that was good enough to see the Blues return home from Devon with a point.
Plymouth (3-5-2): McCormick; Blanchard, Trotman, Nelson; Berry, Young, Boco (Harvey 73), Hourihane (c), Reckford; Reid, Hayes (Alessandra 65)
Goals: Hourihane 21
Subs not used: Cole, Branston, Blackman, Bencherif, Gurrieri
Pompey (4-4-2): Carson; Moutaouakil, N’Gala, Bradley, Devera; Wallace, Ertl (c), Racon, Holmes; Marquis, Agyemang
Goals: Wallace 39
Booked: Marquis
Subs not used: Smith, Cooper, Whatmough, Mahon, Padovani, Barcham, Harris
Referee: Stephen Martin
Attendance: 8,742 (1,405 Pompey fans)