Argyle keep play-off destiny in own hands
PLYMOUTH Argyle put paid to any promotion party for Wigan Athletic and kept alive their play-off hopes with a 1-1 draw at the DW Stadium.
The Pilgrims are fifth in the League One table after frustrating the tabletopping Latics with a stubborn defensive display.
Just one point separates Sunderland in fourth, who thrashed Cambridge United 5-1 at the Stadium of Light, and seventh-placed Sheffield Wednesday, who lost 1-0 at Wycombe Wanderers.
Wednesday, though, have a game in hand to play, away to relegationthreatened Fleetwood Town on Tuesday night and will move above Wycombe with at least a draw in that match.
Whatever happens, Argyle will have their play-off destiny in their own hands in their final fixture of the regular season against third-placed MK Dons at an already sold-out Home Park on Saturday.
Wigan dominated the first half but could not turn that into any goals, with visiting goalkeeper Mike Cooper making one outstanding double save at one point.
Argyle came into the game more in the second period, however, and recalled striker Luke Jephcott put them ahead in the 63rd minute.
They could not hold onto their lead for long, though, as Wigan defender Jack Whatmough equalised with a close range finish following a corner.
Wigan had two late, loud penalty appeals turned down by referee Seb Stockbridge as the match was played out in an incredibly tense atmosphere.
Ryan Broom started in central midfield for Argyle in the absence of Panutche Camara who suffered a hamstring injury against Sunderland on Easter Monday.
There was one other change to the Pilgrims’ side as Jephcott took over from Niall Ennis as the strike partner to Ryan Hardie.
Defender James Wilson was again Argyle’s captain as Joe Edwards missed a third successive match with an ankle injury.
Former Pilgrims’ loan signing Kell Watts dropped down to the bench for Wigan as one of two changes to their team from the 2-2 draw away to Ipswich Town.
Wigan made a fast start to the game and their captain Tendayi
Darikwa had a shot from outside the box saved by Cooper after the second of two early corners for the hosts.
Argyle were also tested out defensively by some long throw-ins from Wigan’s Max Power but dealt with them well in the early stages.
Power also provided the cross from which Jordan Cousins sent a header narrowly over the bar in the ninth minute.
Cooper then produced a brilliant double save to prevent Wigan taking the lead, first pushing away a close range strike from Callum Lang after a low cross from Darikwa.
The ball rebounded to Will Keane, who was also denied by Cooper from almost on the goal-line as the Argyle ‘keeper scrambled across to his right.
Tom Pearce kept the ball in play for Wigan and cut it back to Keane who wildly drove it over the bar.
Wigan kept up the relentless pressure as Lang broke clear of the Argyle defence in the 17th minute but Cooper narrowed the angle and the Wigan striker shot across the face of goal.
Argyle had their first attacking opportunity when they forced a corner but when the ball dropped to defender Dan Scarr inside the penalty area he swung and failed to make contact with it.
Other than that, the Pilgrims did not pose any threat to Wigan in the opening half an hour, with Hardie and Jephcott having to live off scraps up front as the rest of their teammates concentrated on defending.
Power went close to breaking the deadlock in the 34th minute with a viciously inswinging corner which flashed across the front of the goal and out of play just beyond the far post.
Cooper did well to get good distance on a punched clearance into a crowded Argyle penalty area after a dangerous cross from Power, who was popping up everywhere for the Latics.
Wigan forced a succession of corners as half-time approached but the Pilgrims, who had defended solidly under a lot of pressure, went into the break at 0-0.
The Latics had a good chance to open the scoring in the 51st minute as they continued to dominate the game.
Lang got in behind Argyle defender Macaulayu Gillesphey and put in an inviting cross but Power sent his header from a central position wide of Cooper’s left post.
Argyle had an opportunity to test out the Wigan defence when they were awarded a free-kick close to one of the corner flags after a foul on Steven Sessegnon by Tom Pearce but Conor Grant wastefully floated the ball over everyone inside the box and out of play.
Before play restarted the Pilgrims made their first substitution with Hardie replaced by Jordon Garrick.
Argyle started to push forward more than they had done previously and after being awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Wigan box they took the lead in the 63rd minute.
Grant’s free-kick was their first goal attempt of the game and his shot should have been caught by Wigan’s Ben Amos. However, Amos spilled the ball and Jephcott reacted first to tuck away the loose ball for his 12th goal of the season.
Argyle had a good spell after taking the lead and Grant sent a shot narrowly over the bar from 20 yards after the ball was played back to him by Broom.
However, Wigan came up with a 74th minute equaliser as they finally profited from one of their many corners. Argyle could not clear the cross from Power and the ball dropped to Whatmough, just outside the sixyard box, who drilled a low shot into the net.
Soon afterwards Wigan had loud penalty appeals when Scarr and Lang battled for the ball but Stockbridge awarded a free-kick to the visitors, to howls of disapproval from the home fans in the crowd of 14,130.
Cooper made a smart low save from Lang after he got in behind Sessegnon before Ennis replaced Jephcott in the 83rd minute.
Lang had another shot deflected into the side netting after a cut-back from the right as a revitalised Wigan pressed for a second goal.
Argyle posed their own threat, though, as Scarr saw a header bounce off the top of the bar after a deep corner from Grant.
Stockbridge added on a minimum of five minutes added time to set up a tense conclusion to the match.
Wigan were furious when the referee did not award a late spot kick after Lang went down inside the penalty area under a challenge from Ennis following a corner as the game ended all square.