Sheffield Wednesday 1
Spurr 80

Argyle 1
Halmosi 2

WHILE there is life, there is hope, of course, but surely Argyle's play-off hopes are now long odds-against.

For a long time, they looked like snaffling away a must-have three points thanks to Petér Halmosi's freakish early free-kick.

However, an unstoppable late equaliser from the comic-book named Tommy Spurr, a worthy hometown hero, saw Paul Sturrock's present and past clubs share a point that does more for Wednesday than Argyle.

Argyle's starting line-up had shown three changes to the 11 that had begun the 2-1 home defeat by Charlton ten days earlier, two in midfield and one up front.

Luggy opted to give former Wednesday striker Steve MacLean his head on his previously happy Owlerton stamping ground, dropping Rory Fallon to the bench.

Behind Macca, Lilian Nalis was recalled to the midfield engine-room, alongside countryman Jimmy Abdou, while Halmosi returned after injury and suspension to replace the crocked Gary Teale on the right flank.

Nalis came in for Paul Wotton, as skipper as well as player, and there was no place for the Argyle captain on the substitutes' bench. Jim Paterson switched to the right side of midfield, a la the Southampton line-up.

Sheffield Wednesday made two switches to the team that had begun the previous weekend's 2-2 Steel City derby at Bramall Lane - the Owls' sixth successive draw.

Former Pilgrim Peter Gilbert was recalled to the - right side of the - defence instead of Steve Watson, while Burton O'Brien, the scorer of the winner in the 2-1 Wednesday's November victory between the two sides at Home Park, came in for Graham Kavanagh in midfield.

Akpo Sodje, who scored the other, was on a long injury-list that also included captain Lee Bullen, Marcus Tudgay, Sean McAllister and Frankie Simek, a situation that explains why Wednesday's squad included four loan players: Adam Bolder (QPR), who scored both goals on the other side of the city last time out, Franck Songo'o, Ben Sahar (Chelsea) and Bartosz Slusarski (West Bromwich Albion).

Argyle could barely have got off to a better start.

From the kick-off, Argyle kept the ball in the Wednesday half until they won a free-kick some 35 yards from goal, ten yards in from the right, when Maclean was tripped.

Halmosi and MacLean teased the home defence as to who would take the set-piece before Halmosi strode up to attempt a lefty curler around the inside edge of the defensive wall.

The free-kick became a freak kick when it hit the last man, Deon Burton, looped up in the air, and plopped beautifully into the net beyond the reach or understanding of Wednesday goalkeeper Lee Grant. It was the first time the ball had been inside the opposition penalty area.

Shellshocked Wednesday nearly went further behind when Paterson, who had the early beating of Spurr, found MacLean. The former Owl teed up Abdou, but Jimmy wanted too much time and the shot was blocked.

The preceded a prolonged period of pressure from the home side, who had lost only one of their previous 12 matches, and that to arguably the Championship's best side, West Brom.

McCormick was tested, mentally as well as physically, bearing in mind the anguish he suffered last time out.

Some intrepid running from his line to mop up Wednesday's raids, was complemented by a couple of right-place-right-time stops as the home side rode a wave.

Argyle did not help themselves with some pussy-footing defensive work, but Wednesday could not capitalise on their indecision. Jermaine Johnson looked threatening on the right, but was all promise and no end result, while Song'o obviously studied at the same school.

Gradually, Argyle began to gain a measure of control, with Nalis scrapping for every crumb, and bringing his team-mates up the pitch inch by precious inch.

The relative calm was broken in the five minutes before the interval, when referee Kevin Friend revealed that his full name was apparently Kevin Friendofsheffieldwednesday.

He gave Argyle an advantage when there was none and then, after Johnson had blasted a volley wide following a fingertip push-out by McCormick, gave Wednesday two bites at the cherry.

Friend allowed them to continue an attack after Anderson had fouled, but, when Bolder scuffed his shot horribly wide, pulled play back. Nothing against that, but when Krisztián Timár had earlier been dispossessed following an early 'play-on' in Argyle's failure, he did not drag play back.

All football has asked for consistently from inconsistent referees is consistency.

Song'o wasted this free-kick, following in the earlier studmarks of team-mate O'Brien, and their friend in black kindly awarded Wednesday a corner - having apparently checked with the blue-and-white striped players that this was the correct decision.

The beginning of the second half was a more even affair, with the Pilgrims creating the first post-interval chance.

It fell to the ever-willing Jermaine Easter, who bundled his way through the centre before tipping a decent shot towards goals that Grant had to watch careful and dive full length to deflect the ball away for a corner.

Timár coolly headed away a cross from Johnson before Wednesday brought on Slusarski and Wade Small for Sahar and the lamentable Johnson, and then Luggy introduced Chris Clark for Halmosi around the hour.

The substitutions preceded another burst of Wednesday activity, but Songo's wayward cross after a strong burst down the Argyle right was about as close as they got.

The pressure eventually led to another Wednesday free-kick in a dangerous situation and, after having had so many sighters, it was no surprise that Song'o managed to get one on target.

McCormick, though, flung himself full length to turn the effort around the post for a fine save.

What followed from the young Pilgrims goalkeeper was, by comparison, sheer brilliance clutching a header which had seemed to have gone beyond him.

McCormick had, however, no answer to Spurr's amazing 35-yard drive, even though he flung himself full-length and managed to get something on it.

Suddenly, Argyle were fighting for their season against the whole of Hillsborough.

Jamie Mackie came on for MacLean, afforded a standing ovation from appreciative Wednesdayites, and Rory Fallon for Paterson, but they could not prevent the Owls from securing a seventh successive draw.

Indeed, they did more in defence than they did in attack, although Mackie came precious close to flicking home Paul Connolly's dinked cross.

Sheffield Wednesday (4-4-2): 1 Lee Grant: 3 Peter Gilbert, 16 Richard Wood (capt), 15 Mark Beevers, 32 Tommy Spurr; 23 Jermaine Johnson (26 Wade Small 63), 29 Adam Bolder, 8 Burton O'Brien, 35 Frank Song'o; 34 Ben Sahar (36 Bartosz Slusarski 63), 10 Deon Burton. Substitutes (not used): 25 Liam McMenamin, 27 Rob Burch (gk), 33 Ronnie Wallwork.

Booked: Gilbert 74.

Argyle (4-4-2): 23 Luke McCormick; 2 Paul Connolly, 5 Krisztián Timár, 21 Russell Anderson, 18 Gary Sawyer; 16 Péter Halmosi (6 Chris Clark 64), 26 Nadjim Abdou, 4 Lilian Nalis (capt), 3 Jim Paterson (14 Rory Fallon 90); 9 Steve MacLean (25 Jamie Mackie 85), 36 Jermaine Easter. Substitutes (not used): 13 Mathias Kouo-Doumbe, 20 Luke Summerfield.

Booked: Russell 43, Nalis 70.

Referee: Kevin Friend.

Attendance: 20,635 (300 away est).