Marcus Harness scored a late winner as Derby claimed a narrow 3-2 Championship victory over bottom side Plymouth to ease their own relegation worries.

Recalled Bali Mumba set up Argyle's first scoring opportunity with a fifth-minute cross from the right after Derby failed to clear their lines.

In-form striker Ryan Hardie sent the ball goalwards, but Derby defender Matt Clarke made a superb interception to put the goal-bound shot around the post and away to safety.

In the 10th minute, Hardie latched on to a through ball but was forced wide by covering defender Nat Phillips and in the next minute, Derby took the lead.

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Kane Wilson's throw from the right was headed on by Phillips and Harness reacted first, spinning marker Maksym Talovierov before smashing the ball home from inside the six-yard box, giving home goalkeeper Conor Hazard no chance from close range.

It was not the start Argyle - or their manager Miron Muslic - wanted.

Derby doubled their lead in the 26th minute following another long throw-in from Callum Elder on the left.

Phillips again headed the ball on, Argyle defender Kornel Szucs headed clear but it looped to Harrison Armstrong, who let fly with a brilliant volley to put Derby 2-0 ahead and in control.

Ukraine defender Talovierov tried his luck with an audacious long-range effort which flew just over the County crossbar.

Argyle pulled a goal back in the 38th minute when Mustapha Bundu brilliantly scored direct from a free-kick wide on the left from an acute angle and into the top corner, past diving County goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.

The hosts levelled in the opening minute of the second half when Hardie's cross from the right was bundled in by Phillips, under pressure from Callum Wright.

Mumba sent Zetterstrom into a full-stretch save at the foot of his post in the 61st minute with a brilliant shot on the run from 20 yards.

Hardie was inches away from scoring from a move he started in the 72nd minute, with a brilliant run down the right wing. He played the ball down the line to Bundu and over-stretched to meet the return, sending the ball just wide.

Sweden stopper Zetterstrom made a brilliant top-corner save to flap out another goal-bound Bundu free-kick, this time from just 20 yards out in the 81st minute.

Harness scored his second of the game with a move he started and finished in the 88th minute, passing the ball out wide to Elder on the left.

Elder's pacy ball to the near post was met by Harness, who only needed one deft touch to turn it past his marker and Hazard in the Argyle goal to clinch maximum points.

The managers

Plymouth's Miron Muslic:

"It feels big. We gave away two easy goals, from throw-ins we simply could not defend.

"Then you are 2-0 down in a six-pointer knowing this is a big one, this is an important game.

"But actually there was a response. That's very positive because we refused to give up this game.

"It's not easy to score two goals but we did it. We managed to score a goal through Mustapha and I think we showed in the second half - after we scored - we could defend better and turn it into an attack quickly and a possible win.

"We knew it was a six-pointer and you have to go all in. I think the third goal was a summary of the day, we had three chances to clear the ball and we didn't and they scored.

"In the end we could not defend the third goal."

Derby's John Eustace:

"I am very proud of the effort of the group. I thought we battled really well against a really difficult opponent. Plymouth are very good at home so we're really pleased to win.

"We had to stick in there, hang on in there. We started the game really well in the first half-an-hour, we dominated with and without the ball.

"The goal they scored was a fantastic finish but a really cheap foul that we gave away and it gave them a lifeline. So to go into half-time 2-1 up was disappointing.

"The way we started the second half wasn't good enough. Then we were under a bit of pressure, I don't think our keeper had too many saves to make but you are always going to get pressure here.

"I was very proud of the way the boys stuck to their task and to score in the last minute was pleasing."

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