Tom Cleverley’s first game as Plymouth Argyle head coach ended in a controversial 3-1 loss at home to 10-man Barnsley in League One.

The visitors scored two goals against the run of play in the first half as Argyle dominated much of the game but failed to convert a host of chances and had a number of decisions go against them.

Caleb Watts controversially had a fifth-minute goal ruled out for an infringement in the build-up – Bradley Ibrahim had found Xavier Amaechi on the right flank with a superb cross-field ball and the winger crossed in for Watts to put away.

It got worse for the hosts seven minutes later when debutant Brendan Wiredu deflected Davis Keillor-Dunn’s excellent curling free-kick into his own net as Barnsley took the lead.

Watts went close with a long-range effort soon after, before Barnsley were grateful to Argyle again for their second goal. A poor clearance by Wiredu was equally badly headed away by Victor Palsson and Adam Phillips was there to superbly volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the box with just his side’s second shot of the day.

Watts saw a 39th-minute header superbly tipped over by Murphy Cooper before the a second controversial incident five minutes later as Cooper brought down the onrushing Watts well outside the area, only for referee Declan Bourne to wave play-on.

The hosts got a deserved goal back soon after the break as Watts chested down Palsson’s header and volleyed in from close range after Brendan Galloway had won a header.

There was more controversy after an hour when Barnsley’s Jack Shepherd – who had already been booked at the end of the first half as tempers flared following the Watts incident – received a second yellow card for a handball.

But Bourne initially forgot it was his second caution and was about to get play under way again before realising his error and dismissing the Tykes defender.

Argyle continued to attack as they tried to find an equaliser, but the likes of Amaechi and Watts could not hit the target.

As the Pilgrims poured forward they left gaps at the back – Ashby-Hammond did well to save after Keillor-Dunn had put substitute Jonathan Bland through with seven minutes left.

But he could do nothing three minutes later when another defensive mistake – this time by Kornel Szucs – put Keillor-Dunn through from Cooper’s long clearance and the forward calmly slotted home.