Chris Gunter's first senior goal was enough to earn Nottingham Forest a 1-0 win at Plymouth Argyle.
Forest pile pressure on Sturrock's side
Chris Gunter's first senior goal was enough to earn Nottingham Forest a 1-0 win at Plymouth Argyle on Sunday.
The Reds remain unbeaten on the road this season, while the Pilgrims have now suffered seven straight defeats and are stuck at the foot of the Championship table.
Forest, with four strikers within their starting XI, began much the brighter at Home Park, but Plymouth came into the game as the first half wore on.
Alan Gow and Jamie Mackie were causing problems to the Reds' back four, but were unable to find a way past Lee Camp.
Forest offered little in terms of an attacking threat for long periods, but stole the lead moments before the interval when Gunter burst into the box and lashed into the bottom corner.
The visitors stood firm throughout the second period, with Plymouth unable to breach the red wall.
The Pilgrims did see a legitimate penalty shout waved away midway through the half, but they created little to suggest they were capable of finding a route back into the ground.
Brilliance
Home Park was full for the first time in five years as Plymouth launched their bid to be a host city for England's 2018 World Cup bid, and the feel-good factor spread to Paul Sturrock's players as they made a bright start to the game.
After an early scare from a Dexter Blackstock header, Argyle should have took the lead through Jamie Mackie but he poked a driven, low cross wide from eight yards out.
The Scot almost made amends midway through the first half following a piece of individual brilliance.
Mackie collected possession on the left touchline, he backed three Forest defenders into the box and only a solid foot from keeper Camp denied him a goal.
A dipping shot from Radoslaw Majewski skimmed the top of the net before Plymouth lost Kari Arnason to injury after 35 minutes.
He was replaced by James Chester, whose first involvement was his ill-timed slip to allow Gunter a clear shot at goal.
Stumbled
He stumbled at the vital moment, handing the Forest defender the opportunity to latch onto a clever combination with Blackstock and drag the ball past Romain Larrieu.
Joe Garner should have extended Forest's lead early in the second half but he sliced his shot wide from 10 yards out.
Majewski tried to catch out Larrieu with a free-kick on the edge of the box just after the hour mark, but the Pole's shot curled just over the crossbar.
Plymouth should have been awarded a penalty in the 70th minute when Kelvin Wilson appeared to unfairly halt Chester's path to goal, but referee Andy Woolmer waved away the appeals.
Substitute Alan Judge looked lively when he came on. The midfielder, on loan from Blackburn, dragged a half-volley wide before stinging Camp's palms with a well-struck shot on the run with five minutes remaining, but that was as close as Argyle came to an equaliser.
