Ryan Hardie gets only goal as Plymouth beat Portsmouth for fourth win on bounce

Plymouth made it four League One wins in a row by beating play-off rivals Portsmouth 1-0 at Home Park.

Argyle top scorer Ryan Hardie fired the greens ahead from close range after converting Panutche Camara’s cross with 65 minutes gone.

Portsmouth’s Ronan Curtis sent a thumping 25-yard free-kick just wide of goal after five minutes.

Portsmouth number one Gavin Bazunu made a good diving save to keep out Luke Jephcott’s angled drive after the striker had been teed up by Hardie following good work by increasingly influential playmaker Danny Mayor.

Wing back Denver Hume’s curling cross from the left cried out for a Portsmouth finishing touch as it swept across the face of Michael Cooper’s goal after 25 minutes but none was forthcoming.

Jordan Houghton’s 20-yard rising drive forced another good save from the Pompey keeper on the hour.

Mahlon Romeo’s goal-line clearance denied Joe Edwards as the ball pinged around the Portsmouth penalty area, minutes before Argyle’s pressure told.

Eighteen-goal Hardie broke the deadlock then had penalty appeals turned away minutes later before Camara’s thumping 25-yard shot bought the best out of Bazunu.