Plymouth Argyle 1-0 Leicester Metropolis: Foxes’ promotion hopes dealt blow by Pilgrims

Plymouth Argyle dealt Championship leaders Leicester Metropolis’s automated promotion hopes a blow and gave their very own survival hopes an enormous enhance with a 1-0 victory at House Park.

Leicester’s Patson Daka had two incredible probabilities to equalise within the first 20 minutes of the second half however the hosts doggedly saved out a Foxes aspect that grew more and more annoyed.

Argyle keeper Michael Cooper did properly to disclaim substitute Jamie Vardy within the 87th minute because the guests failed to show late strain right into a purpose.

The loss for the Foxes – a second successive away defeat after Tuesday’s loss at Millwall – means they keep on 88 factors on the prime of the desk.

They’re degree on factors with Ipswich City and one forward of Leeds united and either side have probabilities to go above the Foxes on Saturday as Leeds host Blackburn and Ipswich welcome Middlesbrough.

Argyle have now gone unbeaten in all three video games since Ian Foster was sacked as head coach, taking seven factors out of 9.

The win sees Plymouth – beneath the momentary management of director of soccer Neil Dewsnip and first-team coach Kevin Nancekivell – transfer up from twentieth to sixteenth and places them 5 factors away from the relegation zone.

Leicester – who earlier within the day discovered they wouldn’t face a factors deduction this season over monetary points – confirmed their intent early on as Daka had a sixth-minute strike dominated out for offside earlier than Ricardo Pereira pressured an excellent save from Cooper after a neat one-two with Wilfried Ndidi two minutes later.

The Foxes dominated the possession, nevertheless it was Argyle who took the lead when two of 5 gamers recalled to the aspect after Tuesday’s draw with QPR linked up.

Adam Forshaw’s excellent cross from midfield sprung Bundu down the left wing and the Sierra Leone ahead reduce inside and located the underside nook as Wout Faes stood off him.

Leicester continued to dominate the ball and Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor and Harry Winks went shut from lengthy vary, however they struggled to show their possession into significant probabilities.

And as House Park’s noise ranges rose, the hosts may have gone additional forward 5 minutes earlier than the break as Morgan Whittaker and the spectacular Forshaw performed a neat one-two on the sting of the field earlier than the previous blasted his effort excessive over the bar.

The hosts began the second interval with the next depth as they upped the strain on the Foxes – nevertheless it was Leicester who ought to have equalised 10 minutes into the half as Daka one way or the other scuffed broad from shut vary after Abdul Fatawu had acquired to the byeline down the appropriate.

Substitute Dennis Praet headed over for the guests quickly after earlier than Daka missed one other excellent probability as he sliced broad on the far submit from 4 yards out after a Praet flick-on.

Leicester have been encamped within the house half for lengthy intervals, however failed to search out the decisive cross because the hosts put their our bodies on the road and compelled the Foxes into errors.

Vardy had the perfect effort late on as he was put by however Cooper confronted off his line to smother the previous England striker as Argyle held on for a memorable victory that was deafeningly welcomed by their followers, who now really feel they may properly keep up after the turbulent three months of Foster’s reign which noticed them fall down the desk.

Plymouth Argyle director of soccer Neil Dewsnip informed BBC Sport:

“I’m delighted. We knew exactly how difficult it was going to be.

“We knew we have been going to play towards an impressive soccer crew in possession of the ball, however we had a sport plan and fortunately it is paid off.

“It was our night, and I’m delighted for our players, they worked incredibly hard, harder than they probably realised they could.

“We all know it isn’t performed but, so we’ll work actually exhausting within the subsequent three video games to get extra factors.”