Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Ipswich Town: Home side go top of League One after fightback in thriller

Bali Mumba scored the equaliser for Plymouth

Second-half strikes from Bali Mumba and Morgan Whittaker completed a thrilling Plymouth fightback to leapfrog Ipswich at the top of League One.

The Tractor Boys led at half-time through former Argyle favourite Freddie Ladapo’s deflected looping effort.

Mumba’s 69th-minute stunner brought the home side level and turned the tide of the match before Whittaker’s deflected shot into the top corner completed the turnaround six minutes later.

Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton hit the crossbar with a header from a corner in the dying moments of a remarkable end to the match.

The game pitted the league’s best home and away records against each other as well as third v first in the table.

And Ipswich looked set to stretch their unbeaten start to the season to 10 games when Ladapo’s angled shot cannoned up off Dan Scarr and over Plymouth goalkeeper Michael Cooper to give the away side the lead.

Ipswich were fortunate to end the half with 11 players as they went in 1-0 up, with Marcus Harness and captain Sam Morsy both escaping with yellow cards for late challenges.

The away side started the second half looking to add to their tally, with on-loan Argyle defender Nigel Lonwijk making a crucial block to deny Janoi Donacien.

Mumba then breathed life into Home Park, drilling home through a crowded penalty area past Walton in the Ipswich goal.

Walton then got down to make a fine save to turn Whittaker’s left-foot strike around the post but he could do nothing about the next one, as the attacker smashed another shot at the Ipswich goal, which flew into the top corner via a deflection.

Ipswich won a corner deep into added time and up came Walton, the goalkeeper rising high to meet the ball and send it crashing against the bar, with Plymouth holding on to all three points.

Plymouth manager Steven Schumacher told BBC Radio Devon:

“I’m delighted, I thought it was a really good game, with two good sides having a go at it and played in the right spirit.

“It was feisty at times, there were some good bits of football, some good chances for both teams and we’re just buzzing to come out of it with the win and go top of the league. It sounds really nice.

“We were gutted to concede the goal but we said at half-time to stick to the plan and keep believing in it.

“We scored two brilliant goals by showing a bit more quality around their box. We created some really good opportunities and the two strikes were brilliant bits of quality from two really good players.”

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk:

“We put ourselves in a great position to win the game, we had a lead and created more chances to put the game to bed, and in the second half we had it under control and were a big threat.

“Of course, if you don’t get the goal there’s always a chance that one can go in at the other end, and as soon as it does the momentum changes.

“We haven’t managed the momentum swing well enough and there’s big frustration in the dressing room, and rightly so.

“We know we need to improve but we also need to stay balanced and keep things in perspective, and make sure we keep taking the positives but look at the areas we need to get better at.”

Line-ups Plymouth

Formation 3-4-2-1

1Cooper

21Lonwijk6Scarr5Wilson

17Mumba20Randell7Butcher8Edwards

19Whittaker10Mayor

11Ennis

Substitutes

Ipswich

Formation 3-4-2-1

1Walton

44Donacien6Woolfenden4Edmundson

19Jackson8Evans5Morsy3Davis

10Chaplin11Harness

9Ladapo

Substitutes

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