The Pilgrims were beaten 4-1 at Home Park, despite taking an early lead in the League One game with a goal from Bim Pepple
17:18, 07 Feb 2026Updated 20:25, 07 Feb 2026
Lincoln striker Freddie Draper scores with a close range header in the League One game against Argyle at Home Park on February 7, 2026 – Photo: Dave Rowntree/PPAUK
Injury-hit Plymouth Argyle crumbled to a 4-1 defeat at Home Park after promotion-chasing Lincoln City proved far too good for them in the second half.
The Pilgrims had started the League One game strongly and opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a terrific strike from distance by Bim Pepple for his seventh goal of the season.
However, Lincoln gradually worked their way into the game and striker Freddie Draper equalised towards the end of the first half with a close range header after a corner from Reeco Hackett.
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Pepple then had to be substituted before the break after a clash of heads with Lincoln midfielder Ivan Varfolomeev left him with swelling and a cut above his right eye.
Argyle fell behind early in the second half with a low shot from Hackett, and their third goal in the 65th minute came from the same player as goalkeeper Luca Ashby-Hammond flapped at the ball from his corner and it ended up in the net.
There never looked like a way back for the Pilgrims given the dominance of their opponents, who rubbed salt into Argyle’s wounds with a fourth goal in the seventh minute of added time with a breakaway finish from substitute Ryan One.
Argyle had six players ruled out against Lincoln due to injury, with Brendan Galloway joining Conor Hazard, Bradley Ibrahim, Julio Pleguezuelo, Joe Ralls and Lorent Tolaj on the casualty list due to an abdominal issue which flared up during the 2-1 defeat at Stockport County the previous Saturday.
The Pilgrims were also without Matty Sorinola, who started a two-match suspension after receiving his 10th yellow card in the league this season during the defeat by Stockport.
Argyle’s two transfer deadline day loan signings were both included in the squad against Lincoln, with Millwall defender Wes Harding making his debut at left-back, while Huddersfield Town midfielder Herbie Kane was named among the substitutes.
Ashby-Hammond continued as Argyle’s goalkeeper, with a back four of Joe Edwards, Mathias Ross, Alex Mitchell and Harding in front of him.
The midfield quartet were Ronan Curtis, Malachi Boateng, Brendan Wiredu and Owen Dale, who took over in the wide left role from the suspended Sorinola.
Dale, who is on loan from Oxford United, had made his comeback from an ankle injury when he played as a late substitute against Stockport. With Tolaj missing a third successive match due to a dead leg, the two Argyle strikers were Caleb Watts and Pepple.
The Pilgrims were soon on the attack after kick-off and Curtis fired in a cross from the right which flashed dangerously across the Lincoln goalmouth but none of his team-mates could get on the end of it.
Soon afterwards, Watts chested the ball down inside the City box but his shot was blocked behind for a corner.
Lincoln threatened for the first time when Jack Moylan broke down the left and from his cross the ball bounced wide of the far post off Draper as Harding could not come up with a clearance as he ran back towards his own goal.
Harding was shown a yellow card by referee Stephen Martin before play restarted for his complaints about Argyle not being awarded a foul for a challenge on Pepple.
Argyle then broke the deadlock in the 11th minute with a superb goal from Pepple, who controlled the ball in a central area of the pitch and came up with a 25-yard left-foot shot which hit the inside of the right post before crossing the line.
It was a seventh goal of the season for the 23-year-old striker, with four of them coming in the last six games.
There was a yellow card for Lincoln’s Varfolomeev after a rash sliding tackle on Wiredu, before Pepple tried another long range drive which was comfortably saved by goalkeeper George Wickens this time.
By now heavy rain was falling and in the darkness the floodlights shone out, but both teams continued to show plenty of attacking intent despite the difficult conditions.
Goal celebrations for Bim Pepple (right) during Argyle’s League One game against Lincoln City at Home Park on February 7, 2026 – Photo: Dave Rowntree/PPAUK
Lincoln’s Reeco Hackett fired wide of Ashby-Hammond’s left post after he cut back inside onto his left foot and let fly from 20 yards, before Curtis got in the way of an attempt on the Argyle goal from City left-back Adam Reach.
The visitors kept up their pressure and equalised in the 38th minute when Draper scored with a simple close range header after a perfectly-flighted corner into the six-yard area from Hackett, which the Pilgrims were unable to deal with.
There was then a lengthy delay in the game as Pepple needed attention after a clash of heads with Varfolomeev which left him with swelling and a cut above his right eye and eventually he had to be replaced by Owen Oseni.
Varfolomeev did return to the action as five minutes of added time was played but he did not reappear for the second half as he was replaced by Tom Bayliss.
Lincoln took the game to Argyle after the restart and went ahead in the 53rd minute with a low angled shot from Hackett after the ball was played into the penalty area by Reach and Harding was unable to get it away from danger for the Pilgrims.
Argyle were hardly able to get out of their own half as City were totally dominant in the opening stages of the second period and tested the home side with a series of corners and long throw-ins.
Lincoln grabbed a third goal in the 65th minute from one of those set piece opportunities, as Hackett swung the ball in left-footed with a corner and Ashby-Hammond flapped at the ball as it ended up in the net.
It was a glaring error from the ‘keeper and left Argyle facing a huge task to get anything out of the game.
Before play restarted, Kornel Szucs and Xavier Amechi were sent on as Argyle substitutes for Edwards and Dale respectively but Lincoln remained in complete control, although Curtis did come up with one fierce shot which Wickens did well to tip over the bar.
There was an Argyle debut for Kane as a 79th minute substitute for Wiredu while Jamie Paterson was sent on at the same time for Watts.
Ross had a shot on the turn charged down inside the Lincoln penalty area after going forward at a free-kick as, belatedly, the Pilgrims showed some signs of life.
Ashby-Hammond made a diving save to concede a corner after a shot from substitute Ben House took a deflection off Szucs, but Lincoln did get a fourth goal deep into added time when One raced clear on the counter attack and slotted past Argyle’s keeper.
ARGYLE: Luca Ashby-Hammond; Joe Edwards (Kornel Szucs 65 mins), Mathias Ross, Alex Mitchell, Wes Harding; Ronan Curtis, Malachi Boateng, Brendan Wiredu (Herbie Kane 79 mins), Owen Dale (Xavier Amechi 65 mins); Caleb Watts (Jamie Paterson 79 mins), Bim Pepple (Owen Oseni 45 mins).
Substitutes (not used): Zak Baker, Jack MacKenzie.
LINCOLN: George Wickens; Tendayi Darikwa, Tom Hamer, Sonny Bradley, Adam Reach; Ivan Varfolomeev (Tom Bayliss h/t), Conor McGrandles; Reeco Hackett (Ryley Towler 90 +1 mins), Jack Moylan (Alfie Lloyd 73 mins), Rob Street (Ben House 73 mins); Freddie Draper (Ryan One 84 mins).
Substitutes (not used): Zach Jeacock, Dom Jefferies.
REFEREE: Stephen Martin
ATTENDANCE: 15,547 (605)
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