Marcus Harness scored a late winner to complete his brace as Derby claimed a narrow 3-2 Championship victory over bottom side Plymouth to ease their own relegation worries.
Recalled Bali Mumba set up Argyle’s first scoring opportunity with a fifth-minute cross from the right after Derby failed to clear their lines.
In-form striker Ryan Hardie sent the ball goalwards, but Derby defender Matt Clarke made a superb interception to put the goal-bound shot around the post and away to safety.
In the 10th minute, Hardie latched on to a through ball but was forced wide by covering defender Nat Phillips and in the next minute, Derby took the lead.
Kane Wilson’s throw from the right was headed on by Phillips and Harness reacted first, spinning marker Maksym Talovierov before smashing the ball home from inside the six-yard box, giving home goalkeeper Conor Hazard no chance from close range.
It was not the start Argyle – or their manager Miron Muslic – wanted.
Derby doubled their lead in the 26th minute following another long throw-in from Callum Elder on the left.
Phillips again headed the ball on, Argyle defender Kornel Szucs headed clear but it looped to Harrison Armstrong, who let fly with a brilliant volley to put Derby 2-0 ahead and in control.
Ukraine defender Talovierov tried his luck with an audacious long-range effort which flew just over the County crossbar.
Argyle pulled a goal back in the 38th minute when Mustapha Bundu brilliantly scored direct from a free-kick wide on the left from an acute angle and into the top corner, past diving County goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
The hosts levelled in the opening minute of the second half when Hardie’s cross from the right was bundled in by Phillips, under pressure from Callum Wright.
Mumba sent Zetterstrom into a full-stretch save at the foot of his post in the 61st minute with a brilliant shot on the run from 20 yards.
Hardie was inches away from scoring from a move he started in the 72nd minute, with a brilliant run down the right wing. He played the ball down the line to Bundu and over-stretched to meet the return, sending the ball just wide.
Sweden stopper Zetterstrom made a brilliant top-corner save to flap out another goal-bound Bundu free-kick, this time from just 20 yards out in the 81st minute.
Harness scored his second of the game with a move he started and finished in the 88th minute, passing the ball out wide to Elder on the left.
Elder’s pacy ball to the near post was met by Harness, who only needed one deft touch to turn it past his marker and Hazard in the Argyle goal to clinch maximum points.
Ange Postecoglou insisted his controversial cupped ear celebration to Tottenham fans in a 1-0 loss at Chelsea had been misinterpreted on another bad night for the Australian.Spurs slipped to a 16th defeat in the Premier League this season thanks to a 50th-minute header by Enzo Fernandez, but it only told half the story of a typically frenzied London derby.VAR was required to rule out a fine strike...

Chelsea climbed back into the Premier League’s top four as Enzo Fernandez’s header early in the second half earned a 1-0 derby win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge.Enzo Maresca’s side were under pressure after limping into the international break playing football that had ceased to excite home fans, but they largely had the better of a disappointing Spurs team that failed to tak...

David Moyes believes James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid a red card for his reckless challenge on Alexis Mac Allister as Everton were beaten 1-0 by Liverpool on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal, which Moyes claimed should have been ruled out for offside, gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were...

Jack Grealish dedicated his goal to his late brother after scoring in Manchester City’s 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Leicester on Wednesday.The England international hit his first Premier League goal for 16 months, on his first start in the competition since last December, as City moved back into fourth with a comfortable success at the Etihad Stadium.It came on the 25th anniversary of...

David Moyes bemoaned an “offside” goal that gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Everton – but admitted James Tarkowski was lucky to avoid an early red card on a controversial night at Anfield.Diogo Jota’s 57th-minute goal gave Liverpool a 100th derby win and moved them a step closer to the Premier League title, but both sides were left unhappy with decisions from referee Sam Barr...

Eddie Howe hailed Sandro Tonali’s shooting power after seeing him cap a fine display with a stunning winner to edge Newcastle into the race for Champions League qualification.The 24-year-old Italy international brought an incident-packed encounter to a fitting conclusion with a 74th-minute piledriver which beat goalkeeper Mark Flekken from an improbable angle to hand the Magpies a precious 2...

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery believes Marcus Rashford is “progressively getting better” in all aspects of his game following his first Premier League goal for the club.The on-loan Manchester United forward set Villa on course for a comprehensive 3-0 win over fellow European hopefuls Brighton with a 51st-minute finish at the Amex Stadium.Rashford’s milestone strike came three days ...

Southampton boss Ivan Juric vowed to keep fighting as relegation moved sharply into focus after Crystal Palace denied them only a third Premier League win of the season.Substitute Matheus Franca’s stoppage-time header, to secure a 1-1 draw for the Eagles, means Saints will be down at the weekend if they lose at Tottenham and Wolves beat Ipswich.If relegation is confirmed on Sunday, Southampt...

Derby boss John Eustace insists his side are reaping the rewards for the hard work they have put in since he was appointed as manager after the Rams earned a 2-0 win over Preston to climb out of the Sky Bet Championship relegation zone.Derby came out firing after a lacklustre opening period and Craig Forsyth coolly slotted the hosts in front with his fourth goal of the season.The Rams doubled thei...

Notts County manager Stuart Maynard hailed a “massive” three points as his side comfortably saw off MK Dons at Meadow Lane to maintain their promotion challenge.Two stunning strikes from David McGoldrick and Will Jarvis from the edge of the box, either side of Nick Tsaroulla’s close-range effort, earned County a convincing 3-0 win.“I think every three points is massive now,...



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