Oxford United resumed the league programme and paid their respects to Queen Elizabeth II but were then beaten by a Morgan Whittaker goal as they lost 1-0 in Plymouth this evening.
After an immaculately observed minute’s silence and a rousing rendition of God Save the King, United came under pressure immediately, with Argyle forward Ryan Hardie trussing an early chance narrowly over the top inside a minute and then passing when he should have shot from eight yards out a minute later.
United, in their new navy third kit for the first time, settled after that, with Billy Bodin linking things neatly on his return after suspension and Kyle Joseph always a willing runner. But it took a terrific save from Simon Eastwood to parry a Finn Azaz blast after 22 minutes as the home side created all of the clear chances in the opening half.
United matched them in everything else but for once hadn’t found a way of opening up the opposition, while Azaz's effort was the only shot on target at either end in the first hour of the match.
Argyle had been off target with a number of efforts from around the edge of the box, but the back three of Long, Findlay and Brown were as committed as ever, with James Henry and the returning Steve Seddon tracking back and working tremendously hard in the Devon drizzle before a switch of roles for Henry, as the flexible U's switched to a four-man back line after the break.
As has been the case in recent meetings, two sides with terrific respect cancelled each other out. Joseph had a shot blocked on the hour after a decent break, Brown glided the corner wide, and Marcus Browne was given just over 20 minutes to try and find that elusive spark. But before he could touch the ball United were behind.
Argyle's 16th effort at goal, their second on target, finally broke United's resistance when Findlay slipped in the build up, his colleagues didn't clear in the box and Whittaker fired low and true into the bottom left corner, giving Eastwood no chance and United a goal to claw back.
They went about it with real intent. Browne instantly forced keeper Michael Cooper into his first save of the night, and the sliding Joseph somehow amazingly hit the bar when basically under it.
Djavan Anderson came on and added pace on his debut, and once you add him, Browne, Taylor, Wildschut, Baldock and Murphy to the attacking mix and Moore to the back line then United are going to have plenty of options.
Tonight they gave it their all, as they do in every game, but came up against a full-strength Argyle side in good form who made it four wins in a row.
Att: 12,563
Away: 309
Report by Chris Williams, pictures Steve Soaking Edmunds, Stats by OPTA