Honours even in the 'Dockyard Derby'

Plymouth Argyle 1

Hourihane 21

Portsmouth 1

Wallace 39

Sky Bet Football League Two, Saturday 12 October 2013, Home Park

Two first-half goals decided the outcome of the first 'Dockyard Derby' since 1992 and a draw was probably a fair reflection of a hard fought game.

Manager John Sheridan again employed the 3-5-2 formation that had proved reasonably effective against Swindon Town on Tuesday night and Argyle took a deserved lead midway through the half - Conor Hourihane opportunistically took advantage of a Yassin Moutaoukil error and fired home.

The Pilgrims will be disappointed to have conceded an equaliser with half-time approaching; Jed Wallace setting up the second half battle for supremacy with a goal that was reward for Portsmouth's creativity.

However, despite some attacking flair from both sides, neither could find a winner and Argyle still await their first win since their derby victory against Bristol Rovers on 7 September.

Reuben Reid and Tyler Harvey (a 73rd minute substitute for Romy Boco) both went close as Argyle began to look the most likely to snatch a win, but Pompey's keeper Trevor Carson was in fine form as he denied the pair their moments of glory.

Argyle, who drop to 19th place in League Two after this stalemate, travel to the in-form Hartlepool next weekend, with the County Durham side hot from a 3-0 demolition of Exeter at St James Park.

Plymouth Argyle (3-5-2): 23 Luke McCormick; 4 Maxime Blanchard, 16 Neal Trotman, 17 Curtis Nelson; 2 Durrell Berry, 6 Conor Hourihane (capt), 8 Romuald Boco (18 Tyler Harvey 73), 14 Luke Young, 28 Jamie Reckord; 9 Reuben Reid, 19 Paul Hayes (7 Lewis Alessandra 65). Substitutes (not used): 1 Jake Cole, 3 Andre Blackman, 5 Guy Branston, 20 Hamza Bencherif, 27 Andres Gurrieri.

Portsmouth (4-4-2): Trevor Carson (gk); 2 Yassin Moutaouakil; 3 Bondz N'Gala, 6 Sonny Bradley, 5 Joe Devera; 35 Jed Wallace, 13 Johnny Ertl, 31 Thery Racon, 11 Ricky Holmes; 23 Patrick Agyemang, 32 John Marquis. Substitutes (not used): 1 Phil Smith, 7 Andy Bracham, 8 Romain Padovani, 15 Gavin Mahon, 20 Shaun Cooper, 21 Ashley Harris, 36 Jack Whatmough.

Booked: Marquis 62

Referee: Stephen Martin.

Attendance: 8,742 (1,405 away)