Steven Schumacher returned to former club Plymouth for the first time since becoming Stoke manager and departed with a narrow 1-0 Championship win.
Dutch attacker Million Manhoef’s persistence was rewarded in the 83rd minute with the winning goal, fired in low from the right edge of the penalty area.
In a frenetic opening half, Morgan Whittaker proved a thorn in Stoke’s side. The attacking midfielder fired a warning shot of what was to come in the fifth minute with a 20-yard effort which City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson gathered comfortably to his midriff.
Johansson had to go full stretch four minutes later, diving high into the top corner to keep out another Whittaker effort after the Argyle player jinked his way into the box.
Stoke countered immediately with a long lofted through ball landing perfectly at the feet of Manhoef.
The Stoke forward barely had to break stride to take the ball on and towards goal, chased by two Argyle defenders.
He looked set to score but home goalkeeper Conor Hazard had other ideas and made a brilliant blocking save as Manhoef let fly on the run in the 10th minute.
The Dutch Under-21 international’s follow-up was also saved by Hazard at full stretch, while – from the resulting corner – Wouter Burger’s goal-bound low effort was kept out by Hazard’s extended leg.
Burger and Mahoef then combined to force Hazard into action again in the 20th minute, diving bravely at the latter’s feet to once again deny him.
Argyle again responded well with Whittaker gliding past three players in the centre of the pitch before sending Dutch winger Ibrahim Cissoko away down the left. Cissoko cut in but his shot flew across the face of goal.
Scottish striker Ryan Hardie was fouled by Burger on the edge of the Stoke penalty area in the 32nd minute but Adam Randell’s free-kick flew high and wide.
When Argyle were awarded another free-kick – after 38 minutes – Randell went much closer from the same distance, forcing Johansson to save and sending the ball down the outside of the side netting.
Stoke made a lively start to the second half with Lewis Koumas cutting the ball back for Ryan Mmaee to fire just over at the near post after 54 minutes.
Johansson’s best save of the game came in the 67th minute when he stretched full length to steer Whittaker’s goal-bound shot from the right around the far post.
He equalled that with a brilliant save to tip substitute Michael Obafemi’s shot over the crossbar after 75 minutes.
Hazard again denied Manhoef, using his body to block the striker’s low shot as he cut inside from the right, three minutes later.
But, just seven minutes from time, Manhoef cut in from the same side – wrong-footing marker Bali Mumba – to fire the ball low past a diving Hazard and just inside the post.
