Argyle beaten as they fail to build on early strike from whittaker

RELEGATION-THREATENED Plymouth Argyle could not build on holding a half-time lead as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat against playoff chasing Norwich City at Carrow Road.

- By CHRIS ERRINGTON

Ian Foster's Pilgrims have now lost seven of their last 10 Championship games and dropped to 20th position in the table, albeit still two points clear of the drop zone.

Argyle had gone into the interval against Norwich with a 1-0 advantage after Morgan Whittaker scored his 20th goal of the season with a 10th minute header.

Striker Ryan Hardie had a great chance to extend that lead later in the first half but after taking the ball past goalkeeper Angus Gunn he could not hit the target.

It was not until the 67th minute that Norwich equalised with a close range finish from striker Josh Sargent and they then went ahead after an own goal from Argyle's on-loan Tottenham Hotspur defender Ashley Phillips.

Hardie had another good chance to score soon afterwards but Gunn made an important save and there was no way back for the Pilgrims after that.

Argyle's return to action after the two-week international break saw Foster make three changes to the team which started the 1-0 home defeat by Preston North End on March 16.

Coming into the side were defender Brendan Galloway, right wing-back Matty Sorinola and attacker Alfie Devine, with the trio of Julio Pleguzuelo, Joe Edwards and Mustapha Bundu dropping down to the substitutes' bench.

Galloway was included despite only returning to the UK early on Thursday after being away on international duty with Zimbabwe and he had travelled from London direct to Norwich.

Devine had also been away with England under-20s, playing in Euro Elite League games in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Norwich had been thrashed 6-2 by Argyle at Home Park in September and even six months on that would have been added motivation for them in the return match.

Their starting line-up included former Pilgrims' pair Ben Gibson and Ashley Barnes as they were unchanged from a 3-0 win away to Stoke City in their previous game.