Plymouth Argyle vs Hull City: English Football League - Championship - BBC Sport

Joe Edwards' header - his third goal of the season - gave Argyle a 1-0 lead

Brent Pilnick at Home Park

BBC Sport England

Plymouth Argyle secured their Championship survival with a 1-0 win over Hull City that ended the Tigers' play-off hopes.

The Pilgrims had the better of the first half and went close through Bali Mumba and Mustapha Bundu before captain Joe Edwards powerfully headed them into the lead.

Jaden Philogene forced a good save from Argyle goalkeeper Michael Cooper early in the second half, but Hull could not find an equaliser.

The victory sees Argyle end the season on 51 points, one place and one point above Birmingham City, who go down in the final relegation spot.

For Hull, they end the season seventh, one place and three points off the play-off places after their first defeat in seven games.

Backed by a vociferous home crowd Argyle started the stronger of the two sides as Mumba had a sixth-minute shot blocked by Jacob Greaves after good work down the left by Bundu, while Fabio Carvalho had an effort saved by home keeper Cooper.

The Pilgrims had three excellent chances to get the opener in a five-minute spell midway through the first half - first Hull keeper Ryan Allsop saved superbly from Morgan Whittaker after good inter-play between Bundu and the recalled Alfie Devine had put the hosts' dangerman through.

A minute later Bundu had a goal-bound shot blocked by Greaves before Adam Randell was just beaten to the ball by Matty Jacob after Ryan Hardie looked to have put the Argyle midfielder through on goal.

The game changed when Bundu was forced off after 35 minutes with a leg injury and his replacement Callum Wright used his first two touches of the ball to control a pass before curling a pinpoint cross to the back post where skipper Edwards powerfully leapt ahead of Jacob and beat a wrong-footed Allsop to give Argyle the lead.

Philogene had an effort soon after the restart parried away by Cooper while Whittaker flashed an effort across the face of the goal from a tight angle for Argyle soon after.

Nerves started to grow as news of Birmingham City going 1-0 up at home to Norwich filtered through and Hull upped the pressure and forced Plymouth to defend deeper.

But for all their pressure Hull could not fashion a clear-cut chance, while at the other end Whittaker had a penalty appeal waved away and Wright shot wide of the Hull near post with 13 minutes to go.

And when the final whistle blew Argyle fans invaded the Home Park pitch to celebrate staying up in the Championship for a second successive year after a turbulent second half of the season.

Survival ends turbulent second half of season for Argyle

Image source, Rex Features

Ian Foster's time as Argyle head coach was the shortest term in charge for any permanent Plymouth boss

In early December the thought of Plymouth Argyle needing a win on the final day of the season to stay up might have seemed fanciful.

Despite having one of the Championship's smallest budgets, the Pilgrims were punching above their weight and were in the lower reaches of mid-table.

But while sides like Sheffield Wednesday, Queens Park Rangers and Coventry City all improved after Christmas, Argyle went backwards.

Steven Schumacher left to take over at Stoke City and his replacement Ian Foster struggled in his first big role as a manager.

Under the former England youth boss Pilgrims stars Whittaker and Hardie lost their goalscoring touch, while loan players such as the influential Finn Azaz and Luke Cundle left soon after Foster's appointment in early January.

Argyle failed to score in five successive home games and after a run of eight losses in 11 Championship matches Foster was sacked on 1 April.

Players said the "handbrake" had been taken off under the interim leadership of Neil Dewsnip and Kevin Nancekivell and seven points from nine followed.

Losses at Stoke and Millwall meant a nervous final day for a side that had not spent a single day in the relegation zone this season, but the Pilgrims have survived and owner Simon Hallett's ambition to have a sustainable Championship club continues for a second season.

Plymouth Argyle first-team coach Kevin Nancekivell told BBC Sport:

"It was stressful, but that was always going to be the case.

"I thought the lads were brilliant today, I thought that was one of our best performances for a few months, especially under the type of pressure that they were under.

"To go and produce a performance like that against a team like Hull who are pushing for the play-offs, we're really proud. I thought we were terrific, so I'm delighted.

"We wanted to take the game to them, which I think we certainly did.

"We had to defend at times, which against good teams in the Championship you're going to have to do.

"I'm just delighted and relieved to get it all over."

Hull City head coach Liam Rosenior told BBC Sport:

"It's a really disappointing day, I think it says about the league that every single team that was battling against relegation won.

"It's a tough league and Plymouth gave so much energy into their performance, they ran, they chased, they tackled.

"Maybe we played the occasion a bit rather than the game

"There's tears in the dressing room from some of the lads, but I couldn't be prouder.

"From where we've come from last season and what we've built there's a bedrock and a real foundation for us to go on and achieve in the long term for this football club."