Argyle wilt as Lincoln blitz turns early promise into heavy defeat

Plymouth Argyle were left to reflect on a frustrating afternoon as an encouraging start gave way to a punishing 4–1 defeat at the hands of promotion-chasing Lincoln City.

The Pilgrims had made the perfect opening, with striker Bim Pepple producing a moment of real quality to put Argyle ahead after 12 minutes. Picking up the ball outside the penalty area, Pepple unleashed a fierce left-footed strike that skidded off the rain-soaked surface, clipped both posts and flew beyond goalkeeper George Wickens to give the visitors a deserved lead.

Argyle carried a threat going forward in the first half, but Lincoln gradually grew into the contest and were rewarded seven minutes before the break. Reeco Hackett delivered a superb cross from the right following a corner, and Freddie Draper rose to glance a near-post header beyond Luca Ashby-Hammond to level the scores.

The second half proved costly for the Pilgrims as Lincoln turned the screw. Eight minutes after the restart, Hackett cut in from the right and curled a fine left-footed effort past the diving Ashby-Hammond to put the hosts ahead.

Argyle were almost undone again moments later, when Jack Moylan attempted an audacious finish from a tight angle, only for Ashby-Hammond to react sharply and tip the ball over the bar.

However, the pressure soon told as Hackett struck again in the 65th minute, this time scoring directly from a corner that caught everyone out and crept in at the near post.

Despite Wickens producing a stunning one-handed save to deny Ronan Curtis late on, Lincoln were not finished. In the seventh minute of stoppage time, substitute Ryan One surged clear from the halfway line and slotted home to add further gloss to the scoreline.