Plymouth Argyle's manager and captain have expressed clear frustration over penalty decisions following a narrow 1-0 home defeat to Burton Albion. The League One loss at Home Park on Saturday saw strong appeals for a spot-kick after a challenge on striker Bim Pepple go unanswered by referee Simon Mather. The result halted a run of four consecutive victories in all competitions, a period of strong recent form that had propelled the team up the standings.

Tom Cleverley, the head coach, said he does not know what his team must do to get a penalty. He indicated his previous comments on the matter seem to fall on deaf ears. Cleverley added he would focus on addressing his team's performance, which he described as flat in the first half, before dealing with officiating issues. He pointed to the team's overall stats, including a lack of attacking threat in the opening period, as a primary concern.

Captain Wes Harding was equally forthright, suggesting the team could have had one or two penalties or at least fouls. He highlighted a specific challenge on Pepple midway through the second half when the score was 0-0, where the striker used his strength to turn past Finn Delap before being challenged. Harding believes Pepple's physicality works against him, with referees less likely to award fouls because he appears strong enough to handle the contact.

Reaction to officiating

Harding said he has even advised Pepple to sometimes go down after taking a shot, as he is unlikely to get the foul otherwise. He finds the situation frustrating and does not know what the forward can do better. The defeat leaves Plymouth fourth in the table with 13 points from eight games, just two points off the top. Pepple remains the club's top scorer this season with three goals in eight appearances, a key figure in the squad who they will rely on to reignite their form.

The team must now regroup for a quick turnaround, with an away fixture against Leyton Orient next weekend. Argyle will look to return to the goal-scoring form they showed during their winning streak, having averaged over two goals per game in that period, and will hope for better fortune in key moments as they consult the fixtures list for their next opportunity.

The original report is at Plymouth Live