Morgan Whittaker leaves it late to secure Plymouth victory over Blackburn

Posted Sunday, October 06, 2024 by PA

Plymouth midfielder Morgan Whittaker scored a dramatic last-minute winner as Argyle beat Blackburn 2-1 at Home Park.

Whittaker nodded home Adam Randell’s header back into the goalmouth from Lewis Gibson’s deep cross as Argyle piled on the pressure in the seventh and final minute of stoppage time.

Plymouth swept into a 15th-minute lead against the run of play through on-loan Burnley striker Michael Obafemi.

Whittaker was architect of the goal with a superb 60-yard cross-field pass that set Ibrahim Cissoko away down the wing.

The Dutch Under-21 international cut inside and teed up Obafemi to spin and score from 10 yards

Blackburn substitute Joe Rankin-Costello levelled when he headed home in the 86th minute from Dominic Hyam’s cross.

Argyle boss Rooney was red carded by referee James Linington for complaining about the goal before Whittaker struck.

Argyle had a first minute let-off when in-form central defender Lewis Gibson had to clear off the goal-line as Rovers striker Makhtar Gueye beat keeper Dan Grimshaw with an angled drive.

The Argyle keeper did much better dealing with Rovers’ next attack, on 13 minutes, when Andreas Weimann looked set to score from close range.

Grimshaw was quick to spot the danger and made a superb save with his feet to deny the Rovers dangerman.

Within a minute of Argyle taking the lead Cissoko cut in from the left and let fly with a shot which looked to be sneaking under the bar until Aynsley Pears – at full stretch – managed to tip the ball over.

Obafemi came close to doubling his tally in the 34th minute when he latched on to a bouncing pass out of defence, beating defenders Danny Batth and Hayden Carter, before firing inches wide past Pears and the post.

Darko Gyabi went just as close in the 39th minute after a characteristic run from midfield. With defenders backing off, Gyabi sent a shot on the run just wide from 20 yards.

Cissoko fired high and wide when teed up with a clever back-heel pass from Rami Al Hajj in the opening minute of the second half.

Hedges produced a diving save from Grimshaw with a low 20-yard drive on the run in the 52nd minute.

Pears made a brilliant save to keep out Joe Edwards’ first-time shot in the 53rd minute, palming the ball over the bar, after a superb flowing move by Argyle down the left flank.

The Rovers keeper made a double save minutes later, stopping Randell’s shot on the run and then using his feet to deny El Hajj as he followed-in on the loose ball.

Pears made yet another superb stop to deny Cissoko as Argyle sought to double their lead, and then Whittaker looped a 65th-minute shot just over the bar after being set up by sub Ryan Hardie.

Hardie then teed up fellow sub Mustapha Bundu, whose shot was turned around the post by Pears after 72 minutes.

Grimshaw made another superb stop with his feet to deny sub Yuki Ohashi as he homed in on goal in the 89th minute but just as the game looked destined for a draw, Whittaker won it for the Pilgrims.