5:16pm Saturday 19th January 2008
By Adam Leitch
Saints couldn't make it three wins in a row for the first time this season but still battled hard for a creditable point at Plymouth.
Bradley Wright-Phillips gave Saints the lead early on but Plymouth pegged them back through Rory Fallon just after half time.
Saints had to defend doggedly at times in the second half as the Home Park crowd roared on the side managed by former St Mary's boss Paul Sturrock but in the end both sides had to settle for a draw.
Plymouth had the first attempt at goal when David Norris lofted the ball into the area and on to the head of Rory Fallon whose header drifted just wide of the post.
Bradley Wright-Phillips had Saints' first chance when Gregory Vignal picked out his run with a raking high ball.
The Saints striker got to the ball ahead of the keeper and just needed to head it over him but didn't get enough on it and it landed it the arms of Luke McCormick.
Peter Halmosi tried his luck from just inside the Saints half on 11 minutes but it was a comfortable catch for Kelvin Davis.
But Wright-Phillips atoned for his earlier miss when he gave Saints the lead on 12 minutes.
Alexander Ostlund played a long ball from the right into Wright-Phillips whose run took him in behind the Plymouth defence. He took the ball in his stride superbly and pushed into the area and when McCormick came out to try and stop him Wright-Phillips delicately lifted it over him and into the far corner for 1-0.
After a lively start the game started to get a little more bogged down in the midfield area.
Vignal decided to have a pop at goal on 25 minutes but from 30 yards slashed his effort high and wide.
Darren Powell was the first man booked for a foul on Norris after he had robbed him of the ball and broken away.
Norris had appeals for a penalty turned down by referee Uriah Rennie and it appeared the correct decision as he ran into Vignal.
Davis had to make his first save on the half hour mark after Steve MacLean held the ball up under pressure from Powell at the near post and rolled it back to Lilian Nalis whose effort was well stopped down to his left by the Saints keeper.
He had to make an even better stop two minutes later after Jason Euell gave the ball away and Norris quickly fired away a shot from 20 yards that Davis had to stop at full stretch again down to his left.
Vignal became the second Saints player in the book when he tripped Norris on 38 minutes.
Wright-Phillips had a chance a minute before the break when the ball dropped in the area. It was a tough chance as he had to watch it drop over his shoulder and he didn't get a clean connection and the ball went wide.
There was an incredible scramble in the Saints area after Fallon lifted the ball over Davis inside the area, Saints got it just away but Halmosi's follow-up header was going in before Euell and Vignal managed to get it off the line.
But despite that scare it was Saints who led at half time.
Wright-Phillips came close again three minutes into the second half after being picked out by another ball over the top.
This time his first touch took him wide on the left but from an acute angle his shot flashed across the keeper but just wide of the far post.
But with their first attack of the half Plymouth equalised.
It was a nice move when on 51 minutes Gary Sawyer played the ball to Halmosi who had run inside of Ostlund on the left. Halmosi cut the ball back to Fallon whose low first time side footed effort beat Davis and made it 1-1.
Halmosi had a try himself with a 25 yard free kick which he got on target with his left foot but it was straight at Davis.
Plymouth had another good chance on 57 minutes but Halmosi volleyed over the bar.
Saints made their first change a minute later with Inigo Idiakez replacing Hammill. Idiakez went into the centre of midfield with Euell moving to the right and Andrew Surman to the left.
Andrew Davies was booked for dissent just after the hour mark. Rasiak followed four minutes later for a dive.
Plymouth made their first substitution on 68 minutes with former Saint Yoann Folly coming on for Luke Summerfield.
Plymouth twice came close to taking the lead on 73 minutes.
First Halomosi cut in from the right and his left footed shot from the edge of the area was turned onto the post by Davis. Then Fallon mishit the rebound but it still required Davis to get back across the other side of his goal to dive to his right to turn it round the post.
Burley made a second switch on 77 minutes with Wayne Thomas replacing Ostlund.
Saints were hanging on somewhat and Fallon had another chance but another poor connection made it easy for Davis.
Burley made his final switch with nine minutes remaining with Stern John on for Rasiak.
With four minutes left Wright-Phillips made McCormick stretch with a shot from 20 yards that the Plymouth keeper just about got his hand to and kept out while John was offside for the rebound.
Saints were coming on strong in the closing stages having seen off the worst of Plymouth's efforts but after so long playing on what was a heavy pitch both sides were struggling for the extra yard in and around the final third.
The fourth official held up the board to show three minutes of stoppage time with both side knowing a goal would win it.
Jermaine Wright had an effort from 25 yards after things opened up in front of him but he dragged it wide of the target.
That proved to be the last chance of the game and it ended 1-1 and a point for both teams.
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