Fratton Park erupted when Sean Raggett put the ball in the net in the fifth minute of stoppage-time.
The defender’s goal rescued a point for Pompey after Ryan Hardie’s brace had given Plymouth a 2-1 lead.
There was certainly a relief after a run of three successive League One defeats had rocked confidence.
But Lee Brown – who wore the armband in the absence of regular skipper Clark Robertson – was still disappointed that the Blues did not have more to show for their efforts.
He said: “We really wanted to come away with all three points from this game – and I think that’s what we deserved.
“The two goals that we conceded were pretty soft and that’s frustrating for us, but it’s something that we can put right.
"We really wanted to come away with all three points from this game – and I think that’s what we deserved."
“Plymouth didn’t really trouble us too much aside from that, so it’s disappointing that we let a couple in.
“But on the other hand, it’s a positive thing that they were the only real chances they had in the game.
“It always feels great when you manage to get something so late in the game and we’re happy with the equaliser.
“But then you step back and think that we should probably be winning when you play like that, so there are mixed emotions.”
Brown had earlier doubled his personal goal tally for the season with a free-kick that he slotted under the wall.
“There was only one person who was going to take that,” he joked. “It’s obviously nice to see the ball go in and just a shame that it wasn’t enough for the win.”