Former Derby County boss Wayne Rooney was shown a red card as Plymouth secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Blackburn at Home Park. The former England striker was infuriated by Blackburn’s equalising goal four minutes from the end and confronted the fourth official after Joe Rankin-Costello had netted.
Rooney believed there was a foul in the lead-up to the goal and was dismissed by referee James Linington following a heated argument – but his spirits were lifted when Morgan Whittaker scored a dramatic winner for Argyle in the seventh and final minute of added time. Plymouth had earlier taken a surprise 15th-minute lead against the flow of the game through on-loan Burnley forward Michael Obafemi.
Argyle had a close call in the first minute when defender Lewis Gibson had to clear off the line as Rovers’ striker Makhtar Gueye beat goalkeeper Dan Grimshaw with an angled shot. The Argyle keeper performed much better when dealing with Rovers’ next attack in the 13th minute, denying Andreas Weimann with his feet.
The home side took the lead in the 15th minute, with Whittaker setting up the goal with a fantastic 60-yard pass that sent Ibrahim Cissoko down the wing. The Netherlands Under-21 international cut inside and set up Obafemi to turn and score from 10 yards.
Just a minute after Argyle took the lead, Cissoko cut in from the left and unleashed a shot which looked to be going under the bar until Aynsley Pears tipped the ball over at full stretch.
Obafemi nearly doubled his score in the 34th minute, narrowly missing a goal after outmanoeuvring defenders Danny Batth and Hayden Carter. Darko Gyabi also came close to scoring in the 39th minute following a dynamic midfield run.
Cissoko’s shot went high and wide in the opening minute of the second half, set up by Rami Al Hajj’s clever back-heel pass. Hedges forced a diving save from Grimshaw with a low 20-yard drive in the 52nd minute.
Pears made an impressive save against Joe Edwards’ first-time shot in the 53rd minute, following a fantastic move by Argyle down the left flank. The Rovers keeper made a double save minutes later, stopping Adam Randell’s shot and then using his feet to deny El Hajj.
Pears made another excellent stop to deny Cissoko as Argyle sought to double their lead. Whittaker’s 65th-minute shot just missed the bar after being set up by sub Ryan Hardie.
Hardie then set up fellow sub Mustapha Bundu, whose shot was turned around the post by Pears after 72 minutes. Rankin-Costello then headed home Dominic Hyam’s cross after 86 minutes, leading to Rooney being sent from the dugout.
Grimshaw pulled off another fantastic save, using his feet to thwart substitute Yuki Ohashi’s 89th-minute attempt. However, just as it seemed the match was heading for a stalemate, Whittaker clinched victory for the Pilgrims.
The forward headed in Randell’s return ball into the goalmouth from Gibson’s long cross, securing Argyle’s win in the seventh and final minute of added time.
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