Pilgrims victorious in style with late, late goal

ROONEY SENT OFF BUT WHITTAKER WINS A THRILLER AT HOME PARK

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

WAYNE Rooney was sent-off as Plymouth Argyle conceded a controversial late equaliser only for Morgan Whittaker to come up with a dramatic last-gasp goal to clinch a 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers at Home Park.

It was a third consecutive Championship win at Home Park for the Pilgrims, who moved up to 14th position with 11 points from their first nine games this season, going into the second international break of 2024/25.

On-loan Burnley striker Michael Obafemi had opened the scoring for Argyle in the 16th minute and they held that lead until the 86th minute when Blackburn substitute Joe Rankin-Costello scored with a looping header.

Rooney and his backroom staff were furious the Pilgrims had not been awarded a free-kick in the build-up to the goal for a trip on substitute Ryan Hardie, who was back defending in his own penalty area, and their anger led to the Pilgrims' boss being sent-off by referee James Linington.

However, with Rooney watching from the tunnel area, a fired up Argyle finished the game strongly and Whittaker headed home in the seventh and final minute of added time as Home Park exploded into noise.

Joe Edwards returned to captain the side against Blackburn. He had sat out the midweek 1-0 defeat away to Burnley after picking up a knock.

That was one of three changes to the team for the Pilgrims' last game before the second international break of the season. Bali Mumba and Obafemi were also called up by Rooney.

Hardie dropped down to the substitutes' bench and there was no place in the matchday squad for Nathanael Ogbeta and Victor Palsson after the trio had all started against Burnley.

Ogbeta and Palsson carried out some running on the pitch more than an hour before kick-off under the supervision of head of sports science Connor Derbidge, and they were joined by Argyle's new signing Andre Gray.