A win for Blackpool helped secure Preston North End's Championship survival in an afternoon of real drama at Home Park and around the country.

Alan Irvine's men knew that a win would make results elsewhere academic but when the Lilywhites went two goals down after 75 minutes all eyes switched to results elsewhere and in particular the games involving teams below PNE. Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday were the key teams, the Foxes were winning 1-0 at Barnsley whilst the Owls were struggling 2-1 at Bloomfield Road, those results would mean a draw for PNE would be enough, but with 15 minutes left that looked a distant prospect.

But whilst the North End players will have been unaware of the drama unfolding around them they certainly battled their way back into the match in heroic fashion. Neil Mellor smashed home his fourth goal in four games to reduce the defecit and then deep into stoppage time Mellor turned provider when he chased a ball down in the box and teed up Richard Chaplow to bundle home a season defining goal.

It was an amazing finish to a game which had all the hallmarks of an end-of-season affair, despite both sides having plenty still to play for. At 2-0 Plymouth were back on course for the Play-Offs but at the end of the game it was the LIlywhites who were celebrating, even if they didn't know for sure that they'd made themselves safe.

A bright start for the Lilywhites saw them create a couple of half chances and in the tenth minute of the match Mellor and Hawley almost combined when the former got down the left flank and clipped a ball towards the general direction of the penalty area, Hawley beat keeper McCormack to the ball but his control took the ball away from goal and the ball was eventually cleared.

It was Plymouth though who drew first blood as early as the 12th minute. Jamie Mackie picking the ball up from some thirty yards out and smashing a shot at goal that dipped wickedly over Lonergan's head and onto the underside of the crossbar before smashing into the back of the net.

The goal for the Pilgrims clearly gave the home side hope, seconds after getting their first they almost had a second Peter Halmosi picking up the ball on the inside of the box and curling an effort that always looked to be within Lonergan's grasp.

On the half hour mark there was a notable event, Sean St. Ledger hobbled off feeling the effects of a knock and Neal Trotman entered the fray to make his first team debut for the Lilywhites.

And from there the game descended into a dire spectacle with neither side showing enough convicition to take the game by the scruff of the neck and get the result which would shape their prospective destinies

In the 63rd minute Hawley fed the ball through to Neil Mellor, it was on the former Liverpool striker's wrong foot but he still managed to get a shot away that was blocked away for a corner by Timar. Seconds later Mellor had another good chance, this time as Billy Jones made a strong challenge on Halmosi in the centre of the park and fed Mellor 20 yards out, but the PNE No.33 scooped his shot over the bar.

Argyle won a succession of corners around the 75 minute mark and it was from one of those that Paul Sturrock's side were awarded a penalty. The ball came across from the right and Youl Mawene was adjudged to have wrestled Timar to the ground, the crowd appealed and referee Andy Penn had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Plymouth captain Paul Wotton smashed the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-0.

The Lilywhites struck back immediately. Andy Lonergan pumped a long ball deep into Plymouth territory, Karl Hawley used his strength to bring down the ball eight yards from goal, he had his back to goal so he teed up Mellor who arrived late into the box to smash it into the back of the net to gave Alan Irvine's men late hope.

There were a couple of worrying moments for the Argyle defence as PNE went in search of a much needed equaliser. The first came after a Callum Davidson cross from the left was allowed to bounce in the box with Neil Mellor lurking, Paterson flicked a header away from danger. The next came when substitute Simon Whaley whipped a dipping ball into the six-yard box, Argyle keeper McCormick fumbled the ball and Hawley got his toe to the ball to send the ball ricocheting around the penalty box but it did not fall to a PNE boot.

It looked like it wasn't going to be Preston North End's afternoon, another long journey back from Devon without the points and plenty to worry about but few had accounted for a crucial twist in the script, Mellor once again playing a key role. A ball launched into the box once again from the right, Mellor and the keeper challenged for the ball, neither got near it but Mellor reacted quickest, chased the ball to the edge of the six yard box, turned and hit the ball back across the face of goal, it was into a whole crowd of bodies but Richard Chaplow it was who got the crucial touch and the ball was bundled across the line.