Plymouth's preparations aided by Portsmouth stay

The Pilgrims players had a short coach trip to a nearby hotel following the action-packed 2-2 draw at Fratton Park.

They were able to get a good night’s sleep, rather than travelling back to Plymouth immediately after the match and returning to Home Park in the early hours of Friday morning.

The first leg against the Blues was a physically demanding game, especially as Argyle came under heavy pressure in the second half.

It was also a very warm evening on the south coast so the decision for the visitors squad to stay in Portsmouth overnight made sense.

Manager Derek Adams told Herald Sport: ‘We stayed the night in Portsmouth and got to get to bed early and train there the next day.

‘We then travelled back home. I think it was important we got to our beds at a reasonable time, rather than at three o’clock in the morning.

‘At this stage of the season, and with such a big game coming up, we just wanted to get ourselves recuperated and ready to go again.’

When asked how he had found training facilities in Portsmouth for Argyle to use, Adams added: ‘We have got our contacts.’

Not surprisingly, after such a first leg played at such a ferocious pace and with total commitment from both sides, there were a few bumps and bruises among the Pilgrims’ squad.

Plymouth captain Curtis Nelson took a heavy tackle from his Pompey counterpart Michael Doyle in the closing stages but stayed on the pitch.

Adams said: ‘There are a few bumps and bruises in there (the Argyle dressing room).

‘We will just have to assess them.

‘It is a quick turnaround, but we have done well in the quick turnarounds before.

‘We did well at the Christmas period and at Easter as well.’