The Town failed to make it three wins in a row as they were soundly beaten at Plymouth.

The Hatters, who saw three players substituted through injury in a 15-minute spell either side of half-time, were behind early and never recovered despite substitute Victor Moses’ first goal for the club.

But Argyle, who in their last home game beat leaders Sunderland, got off the flyer when Rami Al Hajj thundered a shot past Thomas Kaminski in the eighth minute after the Town failed to clear a pass into the box.

With their tales up the hosts should have doubled their four minutes later only for Michael Obefemi to shoot wide from 10 yards after being found by Morgan Whittaker’s right-wing cross.

While the Hatters looked dangerous going forward, they could not profit from the mistakes in the Plymouth defence with Elijah Adebayo denied twice with shots that home defender Lewis Gibson blocked.

But while the Town struggled to create clear-cut chances, the home side were threatening whenever they poured forward, and the Hatters had Thomas Kaminski to thank for two fine saves to keep out the Pilgrims. Firstly the Belgian got down to deny goalscorer Al Hajj a second before using his feet to stop a goal-bound effort from home captain Joe Edwards five minutes before the break.

The half ended with Teden Mengi and Tahith Chong withdrawn with knocks and the Town’s woes continued into the second period when Mads Andersen – on for Mengi – then limped off.

Half chances came and went as the Town chased an equaliser but the game seemed beyond Rob Edwards’ men with 20 minutes left when Argyle substitute Ibrahim Cissoko finished brilliantly after taking Darko Gyabi’s pass to make it 2-0.

However, almost immediately, the Hatters reduced the deficit to give them hope. Alfie Doughty’s cross from the left swung into the path of Moses and he whipped a ferocious low shot past Grimshaw at the near post.

With 19 minutes left on the clock, the Town went for the jugular with Edwards introducing Joe Taylor and Cauley Woodrow off the bench.

A series of corners put the home side under pressure but after Taylor swept a shot wide and Woodrow fired over the game was almost up.

Argyle then came close to sealing victory when man-of-the-match Adam Randell crashed a superb effort off the crossbar with Kaminski beaten.

Then, in the third of seven added minutes, it was over. Cissoko found space in the Town penalty area and then had time to steer a low shot past Kaminski and that was that.

Defeat will hurt but this is the Championship and attention will now turn to get back to winning ways against Oxford United at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night. We’ll see you then.

Town: Kaminski; Walters, Doughty, McGuinness, Mengi (sub Andersen 42 (sub Moses 58)), Burke; Krauß, Clark, Chong (sub Brown 46), Nelson (sub Woodrow 75); Adebayo (sub Taylor 75).

Subs not used: Shea, Nakamba, Mpanzu, Walsh.

Attendance: 16,616 with just under 1,200 singing for the Town.