Accrington Stanley’s woes on their travels continued as keeper Toby Savin was sent off in a 4-0 loss at promotion-chasing Plymouth Argyle.

The Reds have now not won in eight successive away game and the Pilgrims were already 3-0 up when Savin was shown a red card on 68 minutes for pulling back Ryan Hardie.

After the 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday, John Coleman’s side couldn’t build on that away performance as the Pilgrims moved up to fourth in the league with a fifth straight win while Stanley remain in mid-table.

It was a good start by Stanley and they had a great chance to open the scoring on ten minutes when a Sean McConville corner found the head of Michael Nottingham but his effort crashed against the crossbar.

Plymouth opened the scoring on 12 minutes when Danny Mayor’s ball in deflected into the path of Panutche Camara and he turned and fired low into the bottom of the net.

Stanley could have responded immediately when Colby Bishop raced clean through and decided to pull it back rather than shoot and Plymouth managed to clear.

The Reds continued to press, Ethan Hamilton heading over, while the Pilgrims were dangerous on the counter attack.

Stanley were bossing the early chances and, on 28 minutes, a McConville curling corner to the far post was headed off the line by Macaulay Gillesphey.

However it was two on 37 minutes when a Conor Grant ball into the area was only cleared to Joe Edwards and he smashed the ball home.

A timely Ross Sykes tackle stopped Ryan Hardie grabbing a third before the break.

Liam Coyle came on for Matt Butcher at the interval and both teams put dangerous balls into the box in the opening stages of the second half.

There were chances at either end with Savin keeping out a Jordan Houghton free kick while, at the other end, Rosaire Longelo burst through but his strike was saved by Michael Cooper.

Koby Adedoyin came on just before the hour mark and it was Cooper who was next in action, superbly keeping out a Hamilton long range blast.

Niall Ennis came on for the Pilgrims in the 60^th minute and, within four minutes, he had made it 3-0. A ball forward found Ennis on the edge of the area and he turned his marker and fired low into the far corner of the net.

Stanley kept pressing, Cooper pushing out a McConville effort but, on 68 minutes, the Reds were reduced to ten-men.

Hardie burst through, Savin rushed out of his area and the Plymouth man took the ball around the keeper with Savin judged to have pulled him back – and shown a straight red.

Teenager Liam Isherwood came on for this Reds debut, Harvey Rodgers sacrificed, and his first job was to keep out an Adam Randell free kick.

Plymouth continued to press, Hardie and Randell coming close to a fourth while Edwards hit the woodwork.

It was four on 79 minutes when Mayor’s cross was headed home by Hardie and Isherwood did superbly well to stop a fifth, keeping Randell's strike out of the top corner in the final minute.

Stanley: Savin, Nottingham, Sykes, Rodgers (Isherwood), Clark, Pell (Adedoyin), Butcher (Coyle), Hamilton, McConville, Longelo, Bishop

Subs: Conneely, Amankwah, Lewis, Morgan

Yellow: Butcher

Red: Savin