PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1 (Duguid 9)
BARNSLEY 4 (Bogdanovic 12, Hallfredsson 16, Hammill 24, Shotton 31)

REFEREE Gavin Ward shocked the Reds with a scandalous decision to call off today's game after 59 minutes despite the Reds cruising 4-1 up.

It was a controversial decision that rightly enraged the Reds and gave Argyle a second chance in a game that they just did not deserve.

There could not be two more different days at Home Park after delight in the sun as the Reds secured their Championship status on the final day of last season. This time around the Reds were met with torrential rain and wind as they looked to extend their great recent run with victory over Argyle.

Out went suspended midfielder Anderson de Silva and the Brazilian's enforced absence meant a return and another chance to impress for Icelandic international Emil Hallfredsson. Argyle had ex-Red Rory Fallon leading their line while former Oakwell keeper Kyle Letheren was on the bench.

There was a change to the team even before kick off as Jon Macken failed to line up at the kick off. The striker was replaced in the starting eleven by Andy Gray. Luke Potter stepped up to the bench.

The Reds were on the front foot in the opening few moments as Gray and Daniel Bogdanovic combined brilliantly to open up Argyle and put Adam Hammill through but the winger was denied a clear strike by a last-gasp challenge.

Argyle were a threat in the air and Alan Judge almost put a goal on a plate for Fallon on eight minutes as his cross fizzed over from the right but Stephen Foster was in the right place get an important head to the ball.

Barnsley's defence went AWOL though seconds later as Darcy Blake was able to cross the ball from the right flank. Foster and Ryan Shotton were nowhere to be seen as the ball skipped through the heart of the Reds backline and Karl Duguid was able to slide in and prod it past Luke Steele.

The Reds were back level within two minutes as it was Plymouth's turn to fall apart at the back. Shotton's fine pass sent Hammill away down the right and the winger sent over a perfect deep cross for Daniel Bogdanovic to nod past Romain Larrieu from close range.

The rain was causing havoc and Alan Gow almost put Plymouth back in front on 12 minutes as he skipped in from the right but scuffed a shot through to Steele from the edge of the area. Fallon then got a shot away after making a yard of space on 15 minutes but his low drive was easily held by Steele.

Barnsley were in front on 16 minutes as Hallfredsson pounced on a loose clearance to let fly from 18 yards. The ball smacked against a Plymouth defender, wrong-footed Larrieu and ended up in the back of the net.

Gray almost made it three on 21 minutes as he raced clear onto Hugo Colace's excellent through ball but the striker could not get his lob over Larrieu from 18 yards. He probably should have done a bit better.

Plymouth were washed away in emphatic fashion on 24 minutes as Hallfredsson picked out a fine pass to send Hammill clear of the Argyle defence. Hammill picked his spot and hammered a low drive past Larrieu and into the back of the net.

Colace almost added a fourth on the half hour as he found a yard to shoot after Hammill's corner had dropped on the six yard line but the Argyle defence managed to hack clear.

The fourth did come seconds later after another Hammill corner as Shotton rose highest and planted a powerful header against the inside of the post and over the line before it was smacked away. The assistant's flag was straight up signalling a goal - it was the right decision.

Argyle were still pressing and Gow brought a save from Steele on 37 minutes with a free kick. Krisztian Timar did the same seconds later.

It should have been five on 38 minutes as Hallfredsson, Bogdanovic and Hammill combined to put Gray clear through but the striker was caught out by the sodden pitch and could only shoot wide of the goal. Gray went close again on 44 minutes as he pounced onto the ball 18 yards from goal and looked to curl a shot last Larrieu but the Argyle keeper did wonderfully well to claw the ball away.

Bogdanovic almost had his second moments later as he broke free in the area and beat Larrieu but his low shot cannoned back off the post and Argyle managed to clear.

Plymouth came in at the break praying for more rain, which would give referee Gavin Ward a very controversial decision to make in the second half.

Hammill had a great chance to really rub salt into Argyle's wounds on 50 minutes as he broke one-on-one against full back Gary Sawyer. Hammill took his shot early but Larrieu was quickly down to make a smart save.

At the other end Craig Noone did well to skip his way into the area on 55 minutes but was denied by Steele's smart diving save. Gray should have got his name onto the scoresheet a minute later as he took on Bogdanovic's pass to face up Larrieu but the striker's low shot was kicked away off the line.

It didn't matter as referee Ward intervened to call the game off just before the hour mark.

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE: Larrieu, Duguid, Fletcher, Timar, Blake, Fallon, Sawyer, Judge, Gow, Folly (Noone 32), Lowry.
Subs: Clark, Sheridan, Johnson, Letheren, Barnes, Mason.

BARNSLEY: Steele, Kozluk, Colace, Foster, Bogdanovic, Hallfredsson, Hammill, Gray, Dickinson, Shotton, Doyle.
Subs: Hassell, Moore, Hume, Campbell-Ryce, Preece, Butterfield, Potter.

Referee
Gavin Ward (Surrey)
Assistant Referees
Simon Knapp (Gloucestershire) and Andrew Turner (Devon)
Fourth Official
Lee Swabey (Devon)

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