Argyle 3
Ebanks-Blake 51, Timár 64, Abdou 77

Scunthorpe United 0

KRIZSTIÁN Timár's second ever Argyle goal, on his return to the side, set the seal on the Pilgrims' first victory second-time-around under Paul Sturrock.

In a low-key Home Park encounter, the giant Hungarian, nicknamed Drago after the equally big unit in the Rocky films, converted a second-half free-kick delivery from the Pilgrims' other magnificent Magyar, Petér Halmosi.

Halmosi had earlier also set up the opener for Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, the number nine's seventh goal of the season, and had a hand in the third, driving home David Norris's headed knock-down of another of the Hungarian's crosses.

Having had no doubt spent one of his fabled sleepless nights worrying about how he was going to fill the right side of his midfield, Sturrock was given a fine wake-up call when Norris and Lee Martin passed fit on the morning of the match.

Martin replaced - nominally - Dan Gosling from the starting 11 that lost 2-1 at home to West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, with Norris retaining his favoured role in the centre of midfield.

Luggy made one other adjustment, recalling Hungarian centre-back Timár in place of Frenchman Mathias Kouo-Doumbe, who did not even merit a place on the bench in the new manager's second match in charge.

Scunthorpe's first visit to Home Park for more than five years saw them make five changes to the side that drew 1-1 at Coventry City on Tuesday - two enforced by sendings-off at the Ricoh for the first two names on the team-sheet, goalkeeper Joe Murphy and defender Kelly Youga.

Josh Lillis took over between the posts, with his place on the bench going to Iron goalkeeping coach Kevin Pressman. The former England B goalkeeper, specially registered for the game, wore number 40 - his age, though not, as the crueller in the crowd had it, his girth.

Also missing were half of their midweek midfield, where only Chelsea's Jack Cork, son of former Crazy Gangster Alan, retained his place, as the injured Jim Goodwin and dropped Kevan Hurst made way for Cleveland Taylor, who really ought to be a American Football quarter-back, and Ian Baraclough.

Matthew Sparrow came in for midfielder Shay Logan, who dropped back to cover for Youga's absence, while, up front, Martin Paterson replaced Paul Hayes to plough a lone furrow in front of a five-man blanket that included the dangerous Jonathan Forte.

In fact, Forte might have opened the scoring before most of the crowd had settled into their seats after Taylor had carried the ball for 20 yards down the right flank before crossing low to Forte, who showed his strength to get in front of the defence but scooped the ball over the crossbar.

It was Taylor's last contribution - his only contribution, really - before he limped off after nine minutes to be replaced by on-loan Leeds United striker Tomi Ameobi, Shola's little brother.

Argyle responded to the earlier assault positively, with Ebanks-Blake powerfully prominent in most of their moves and clearly happy to have former Old Trafford team-mate Martin back in support.

The best move of a fairly uneventful first quarter of the game came down Argyle's left, when Barry Hayles played in Halmosi for a delightful cross that was headed away from Ebanks-Blake by a quick-retreating Andy Crosby.

Highlights at either end were few and far between, however, with Argyle failing to test rookie custodian Lillis sufficiently. A delightful move ended with Ebanks-Blake playing in Hayles, who, seeing Lillis coming off his line, tried a difficult chip that went high and wide.

At the other end, Paul Connolly did well to snuff out the potential threat from Forte after good wing work by Ameobi.

When the Pilgrims did eventually pressurise Lillis, Hayles closing him down, he scuffed the ball into touch. From the resulting throw-in, Martin and Ebanks-Blake both had attempts blocked, Andy Butler's charge-down to deny the latter being particularly noteworthy.

Both sides made changes at half-time, with Jimmy replacing the presumably not fit enough Martin for Argyle, necessitating Norris moving out wide, and Hayes coming on for Baraclough for Scunthorpe.

Hayes came close to profiting from a mix-up between Connolly and Marcel Seip on the edge of Pilgrims' penalty area, but a good save by Romain Larrieu turned away his shot.

The goal the game needed came soon afterwards when Lee Hodges sent Halmosi away down the left. The Hungarian's skill got him in position to send a low ball across the face of the goal, leaving Ebanks-Blake the relatively simple task of stabbing the ball home in front of the Devonport End.

The Pilgrims failed to immediately build their advantage, however, leaving the door open for a determined Scunthorpe.

They should have doubled the lead when Ebanks-Blake sublimely played Hayles in behind the Iron defence, but the skipper is not enjoying the best of luck at the moment and this continued when he slipped on the rain-soaked surface with just Lillis to beat.

Timár put their fans out of the anxiety zone when he strode forward to apply an exquisite touch to countryman Halmosi's inswinging right-wing free-kick, scissoring the ball high and powerfully past Lillis.

Time to twirl. Norris nearly made it three when he cut inside before unleashing a strong drive that Lillis did well to beat away before Jimmy, who has made a difference as substitute in both games so far under Sturrock, made it three.

Job done, Jermaine Easter and Rory Fallon came on to share the striking burden, and Easter went close with a near-post effort after one of several impressive runs and crosses down the right from full-back Connolly.

Argyle (4-4-2): 1 Romain Larrieu; 2 Paul Connolly, 5 Krizstián Timár, 19 Marcel Seip, 17 Lee Hodges; 29 Lee Martin (26 Nadjim Abdou half-time), 7 David Norris, 4 Lilian Nalis, 16 Péter Halmosi; 10 Barry Hayles (14 Rory Fallon 79), 9 Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (36 Jermaine Easter 79). Substitutes (not used): 18 Gary Sawyer, 23 Luke McCormick (gk).

Booked: Martin 26, Timár 32.

Scunthorpe United (4-5-1): 22 Josh Lillis (gk); 24 Shay Logan, 4 Andy Crosby (capt), 18 Andy Butler, 3 Marcus Williams; 15 Cleveland Taylor (26 Tomi Ameobi, 9), 16 Jack Cork, 11 Ian Baraclough (9 Paul Hayes half-time), 7 Matthew Sparrow, 19 Jonathan Forte (23 Kevan Hurst 68); 10 Martin Paterson. Substitutes (not used): 27 Ian Morris, 40 Kevin Pressman (gk).

Booked: Sparrow 65.

Referee: Fred Graham (Essex).

Attendance: 10, 520 (224 away).