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Ryan Lowe hailed how Plymouth went toe to toe with a Pompey side that narrowly missed out on League One promotion in the past two years.

The newly-promoted Pilgrims held Kenny Jackett's side to a 2-2 stalemate in front of the Sky Sports cameras at Home Park on Monday night.

Sean Raggett's own goal gave the hosts a half-time lead before the Blues hit back after the interval through a John Marquis penalty and Tom Naylor's strike.

But the spoils were shared when Jerome Opoku proded home from close range in the 78th minute.

Plymouth are faring the best out of the four teams that were promoted from League Two last season. They're ninth in the table and have yet to be defeated on their own patch.

And Lowe took the positives from Argyle's display against a club he feels are ‘in good hands’ under Jackett.

He told Plymouth Live: ‘It was a good game. I thought we played some fantastic stuff – plenty of chances created, could have scored more, should have scored more.

‘Pompey were never going to come here and just roll over. They had a game plan to try and get us on the counter.

Plymouth Argyle manager Ryan Lowe. Picture: Graham Hunt

‘They had a solid two banks of four, and one dropping behind the striker. I’m happy with a point but I would have been more pleased with three.

under-par Pompey’s point ‘sign of a good side’

‘Portsmouth are a good club in good hands and they have just missed out over the last few years.

‘We have just gone toe to toe with them and, for me, we have dominated large parts of the game against a team who have just missed out on promotion the last two or three years.

‘We have got to take positives from it. We look at the positives every single day, we are a positive group.

‘But I will look at the stuff we can do better next time in terms of the goals we conceded.

‘For their second goal we had the ball up the top end of the pitch. We give it away and then they counter.

‘Then we slash at it in our own half when we needed a calmness about it.

‘They are just small details that we need to get used to. When we do that we can see teams off and we can see the game out, and we can get more chances and more goals.’

Pompey's equaliser came from the penalty spot after Jack Whatmough's header was blocked by the arm of Kelland Watts.

Lowe had few complaints about the decision.

He added: ‘I just looked at it back and he has jumped with his hands. I don’t know, it’s a debate now isn’t it up and down the country?

‘I’m just glad there is no VAR here. That makes it even worse.’

'A good club in good hands' - Plymouth boss' verdict on draw with Portsmouth