The U’s made four changes from their previous Sky Bet League Two encounter against Carlisle United two weeks prior, and were enforced to make a late switch too when Dan Jones broke down in the warm and was replaced in the starting line up by Elliott Ward.

Harvey Knibbs was in on goal inside the first minute of the match but couldn’t squeeze a shot past the feet of the onrushing Alex Palmer who was quick off his line to close down the U’s striker.

Following their two week break, the U’s continued to begin the encounter with a bright edge to their play and found themselves ahead on 19 minutes when Kyle Knoyle fired in his first for the Club. The right back collected Reggie Lambe’s assist 18 yards out, turned neatly and cracked a shot across the goal with his right foot into the far bottom corner.

A good spell continued for United and Paul Lewis forced Palmer into a low save on 25 minutes when the midfielder’s drilled effort looked destined for the same bottom corner picked out by Knoyle.

Luke Hannant grazed the roof of the Plymouth net with a dipping free kick from 25 yards ten minutes before the break, as Colin Calderwood’s men continued to force the issue right up to half time.

United slowed up offensively after the break but remained solid right through the hour mark with Dimitar Mitov rarely called into action, as the back four shielded Argyle’s ventures forward.

Samir Carruthers made his return to action following a three month spell side-lined through injury, as Colin Calderwood introduced the midfielder in place of Liam O’Neil.

Joel Grant’s snapshot on 72 minutes didn’t test Mitov who was able to watch the effort wide and United number one was in the right place to get his body behind a drilled effort at goal by Byron Moore minutes later.

Jack Roles was brought on for the final 12 minutes of the match and quickly sent Luke Hannant through on goal with a clever through pass, but the midfielder flashed a shot right across the face of goal from a tight angle.

Cambridge United: Mitov, Knoyle, Taylor, Darling, Ward, O’Neil (Carruthers, 58 mins), Hannant, Lewis, Lambe (Roles, 78 mins), Smith, Knibbs (Dallas, 78 mins)

Bookings: Taylor, Lewis, Carruthers

Plymouth Argyle: Palmer, Swayer, Wootton, Canavan, Sarcevic, Edwards (Cooper, 64 mins), Mayor, Telford (Clarke, 72 mins), C.Grant (Joel Grant, 54 mins), Moore, J.Grant

Bookings: Canavan

Attendance: 4,492 (843)

Jackson Fire & Security Man of the Match: Luke Hannant