Defender Julio Pleguezuelo scored his first ever goal for Plymouth Argyle when he grabbed a stoppage time equaliser to secure a point from a 2-2 New Year’s Day draw against Bristol City at Home Park.

The bottom-of-the-table Pilgrims’ winless run extended to 10 Championship matches as Kevin Nancekivell and injured club captain Joe Edwards took temporary charge after the departure of Wayne Rooney.

However, Argyle showed fighting spirit to come from behind twice against the Robins and pick up a point, and while it was not the win they would have desperately wanted it has at least given them something to build on.

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The Pilgrims made a positive start against City as they produced some good attacking football but without turning that into any goals and they then fell behind to a 32nd minute strike from Anis Mehmeti.

Rami Al Hajj equalised early in the second half only for Jason Knight to restore City’s advantage in the 56th minute and Argyle were on the verge of a seventh defeat out of eight games when Pleguezuelo, on his 45th appearance for the club, came to the rescue with his late goal.

Argyle went into the game against the Robins without defender Lewis Gibson, who had captained the team recently but was not in the matchday squad due to an injury.

He was replaced by Pleguezuelo in the only change from the 2-0 defeat away to Oxford United on Sunday, which proved to be the final time that Rooney took charge of the Pilgrims.

Argyle’s substitutes included the returning Ibrahim Cissoko, who had not played since mid-October because of a hamstring injury. Michael Obafemi, who had missed the previous two games due to a groin problem, was also on the bench.

Callum Wright served the second of a three-match suspension after he was sent-off near the end of the 4-0 thrashing away to Coventry City on Boxing Day.

Midfielder Adam Randell captained his hometown club in the absence of Gibson and played in a midfield holding role as Nancekivell and Edwards set up Argyle to play in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Morgan Whittaker was used in a central attacking position behind striker Ryan Hardie rather than out on the right in what was a very noticeable change from under Rooney’s team selection. Al Hajj had a similar role as well.

Argyle almost opened the scoring in the 10th minute when a fierce shot from Al Hajj was pushed out by City goalkeeper Max O’Leary and Hardie was first to the loose ball but he sent it over the crossbar.

It was a great chance to give the Pilgrims an early lift but the striker could not steady himself before letting fly and he did not have the control he needed to get his shot on target.

Next, Hardie got a flick on to a low cross from the right by Sorinola but could not guide the ball on target and seconds later a curling shot from Whittaker was saved by O’Leary.

Whittaker was finding space around the top of the City penalty area and he was set up for another opportunity by a cut-back from Bali Mumba but his attempt was well off target as he came up with a disappointing strike.

City threatened for the first time when Knight broke forward and played the ball outside to Anis Mehmeti, whose shot was blocked behind for a corner by Kornel Szucs.

Al Hajj had a good shooting opportunity for the Pilgrims but his strike lacked the power to seriously trouble O’Leary, who also made a save from Darko Gyabi only moments later.

Argyle were creating some good chances but had been unable to take any of them, which must have frustrated Nancekivell and Edwards as they watched from the sidelines.

And the Pilgrims were left to rue not taking those opportunities when City took the lead in the 32nd minute. A through ball from Max Bird opened up the Pilgrims’ defence and Nahki Wells got to it before Conor Hazard could.

Wells touched it across to Mehmeti, who was all alone as he slotted into the empty net and, yet again, Argyle had conceded the first goal in a game. It has been a recurring theme this season.

Hardie had a shot from inside the City box superbly blocked by Luke McNally after an excellent pass from Al Hajj as the Pilgrims tried to come up with a response, while Mehmeti sent a curling shot wide of Hazard’s left post.

There was one more chance for Argyle before the end of the first half when they were awarded a free-kick for a trip of Gyabi by Knight on the edge of the Robins’ penalty area but Randell could only send his shot into the defensive wall.

City almost doubled their lead inside the opening minute of the second period when Wells got in a first-time volley after a cross from the right but Hazard made a superb save diving away to his left.

After surviving that scare, the Pilgrims equalised in the 50th minute with a well-worked goal. Sorinola played the ball down the right for Whittaker, whose deep cross reached Al Hajj and he came up with a cool, clinical finish from around 10 yards out.

There was almost a quickfire second goal for Argyle when Whittaker’s deflected shot from outside the Robins’ box hit the top of the bar and went out for a corner.

However, City regained the lead in the 56th minute after a slick build-up ended with Scott Twine putting in Knight behind the Argyle defence and he lifted the ball over the advancing Hazard and into the net.

The Pilgrims were behind again and you could feel the sense of disappointment and frustration among the Green Army around the packed stadium.

Knight’s goal was a real blow for a short on confidence Argyle team and they found it hard to get going forward as City started to dominate the possession.

Obafemi was a 72nd minute substitute for the hard-working Hardie as Nancekivell and Edwards tried to come up with a spark for the Pilgrims but City kept pressing for a third goal, with Hazard making a good low save from Mehmeti.

Argyle’s second substitution came in the 75th minute and there were loud cheers from the fans as Cissoko made his comeback from injury by replacing Bali Mumba.

The Pilgrims had loud penalty appeals for handball in the closing stages when Whittaker’s shot from outside the box was deflected and hit former Argyle loan signing Zak Vyner, but referee Tim Robinson was unmoved.

Otherwise, the home side found it hard to get the ball off City, and in a third substitution Andre Gray was sent on for Al Hajj.

City threatened to get a third goal when Bird got in a shot which hit Pleguezuelo and went wide, before the Pilgrims equalised in the first minute of added time.

Randell whipped in a free-kick from out wide on the right and when City failed to deal with it Pleguezuelo was able to jump in and touch the ball into the net from close range.

ARGYLE: Conor Hazard; Kornel Szucs, Julio Pleguezulo, Brendan Galloway; Matty Sorinola, Darko Gyabi, Adam Randell, Bali Mumba (Ibrahim Cissoko 75 mins); Morgan Whittaker, Rami Al Hajj (Andre Gray 86 mins); Ryan Hardie (Michael Obafemi 72 mins).

Substitutes (not used): Dan Grimshaw, Nathanael Ogbeta, Jordan Houghton, Adam Forshaw, Tegan Finn, Victor Palsson.

BRISTOL CITY: Max O’Leary; Zak Vyner, Rob Dickie, Luke McNally; George Tanner (Ross McCrorie 60 mins), Max Bird, Jason Knight, Cameron Pring (Haydon Roberts 42 mins); Scott Twine (Yu Hirakawa 60 mins), Anis Mehmeti (George Earthy 83 mins); Nahki Wells (Sam Bell 60 mins).

Substitutes (not used): Stefan Bajic, Rob Atkinson, Fally Mayulu, Marcus McGuane.

REFEREE: Tim Robinson

ATTENDANCE: 17,005 (1,734)

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