Plymouth Argyle continued excellent Boxing Day record with Cardiff City draw

The Pilgrims picked up a point at the Cardiff City Stadium after a Morgan Whittaker 66th minute equaliser made it 2-2

Plymouth Argyle continued an excellent Boxing Day record as they recovered from a 2-1 deficit to draw 2-2 away to Cardiff City in the Championship.

Morgan Whittaker's 66th minute equaliser meant the Pilgrims have lost just two of their last 25 league games on December 26. When you consider that Argyle have not had a home Boxing Day fixture a 3-3 draw with Wycombe Wanderers in 2016, that record is even more impressive.

The Pilgrims have won 14 of those matches and drawn another nine. Their last Boxing Day defeat was in League One in 2018 when they lost 2-1 away to AFC Wimbledon, despite taking the lead through midfielder David Fox.

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Argyle also lost 2-0 away to Newport County in League Two in 2014 when John Sheridan was their manager, with former Pilgrims' striker Chris Zebroski getting one of the goals for the hosts.

Director of football Neil Dewsnip took interim charge of Argyle for the second time against Cardiff, along with coach Kevin Nancekivell, and one notable change was reverting to three central defenders with two wing-backs from a flat back four.

While scoring goals has not been an issue for the Pilgrims lately they have conceded seven in the last three games and Dewsnip knows that has to be an area of improvement.

Dewsnip said: "The first thing to know is that we at Argyle have bought into a style of play which is very attacking and when you are quite attacking minded there is very often opportunities to counter attack against us, and we need to get better at defending counter attacks, that's for sure.

"I'm conscious we have conceded five goals in my two games. We changed the shape (against Cardiff), we thought we would be a little bit more solid and I have to say I thought we were."

Argyle had close to 3,000 supporters at the Cardiff City Stadium yesterday and director of football Neil Dewsnip, in interim charge of first team duties with Kevin Nancekivell, thanked the Green Army for making the trip to South Wales.

Dewsnip said: "There are no words really. When people talk about the spirit of the players and never-say-die it comes from the environment that is created.

"That starts at the top with Simon Hallett and runs all through the staff and the players, but ultimately the fans live that. They are incredible and we are very grateful."

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