Plymouth Argyle 0-2 Charlton Athletic: Dillon Phillips penalty save the turning point as Addicks triumph on the road

A penalty save from Dillon Phillips proved the turning point as Charlton recovered from a difficult opening forty minutes to win on the road at Plymouth.

The Addicks number one denied Graham Carey from the spot, with Lyle Taylor heading the South Londoners into an undeserved lead moments later.

Igor Vetokele added a second in the opening exchanges of the second-half, with Lee Bowyer’s side seeing the win out comfortably on the manager’s 50^thleague game in charge.

The Pilgrims, eight unbeaten at home before today, were much the better side in the first-half. Carey had already sent a lob over Phillips’ bar before forcing the Addicks custodian into a smart save at his near-post, with Freddie Ladapo unable to direct a free-header on target from the resulting corner.

Charlton’s centre-half pairing of Naby Sarr and Patrick Bauer were both in the book before twenty minutes had been played as they struggled to keep Argyle’s front-line quiet.

Defender Ryan Edwards headed over from Antoni Sarcevic’s deep-cross, before Taylor finally had the Addicks’ first pot-shot on the twenty-minute mark, only to see it blocked at source.

Former Crystal Palace man Ladapo was then repelled by Phillips after dancing his way into the Addicks box, with the stopper then tipping over a half-volley from Carey – with the home side apoplectic that a goal-kick was given.

The Addicks took the lead against the run of play after a dramatic two minutes shortly before the break.

Krystian Bielik sent Ruben Lameiras tumbling in the area but Carey saw his spot-kick saved by Phillips and it proved even more important as Taylor headed Chris Solly’s fine cross home moments later to edge the South Londoners ahead.

If Derek Adams felt hard done by at half-time, he would have been raging two minutes after the restart.

Jonny Williams slalomed his way into the left-hand side of the area before squaring for Vetokele to poke home his second league goal of the campaign.

Midfielder Williams then came close himself as keeper Matt Macey fisted his drive at goal away, with Joe Aribo seeing his follow-up suffering the same fate.

The visitors were now dominating and Taylor nearly linked up with Vetokele inside the area as the Angolan came an inch away from connecting with his strike-partners cross – but the Addicks had done enough to claim their first win at Home Park in their last four visits.