Substitute Jean-Louis Valois netted a late penalty to help earn the points for Burnley in a well-contested Coca-Cola Championship encounter with Plymouth.

Valois took advantage from the spot after Ade Akinbiyi was tripped in the box by Pilgrims defender David Worrell in the 87th minute.

James O'Connor then piled more misery on the away side by drilling home a second in the final minute.

Results elsewhere meant Plymouth are now safe from relegation but manager Bobby Williamson will be disappointed by their performance.

The visitors contributed little to the game after a bright opening period and the home side were just about worth their victory.

Clarets boss Steve Cotterill opted for a hat-trick of changes to the side which went down 1-0 at Nottingham Forest last weekend. Brian Jensen, Frank Sinclair and Dean Bowditch all came in with Danny Coyne, Michael Duff and Lee Roche dropping to the bench.

Pilgrims chief Williamson made two changes, with Mathias Doumbe and Scott Taylor coming back into the side.

The visitors, who won the corresponding fixture 1-0 in December, started the game brightly and Paul Wotton sent in their first shot after just 35 seconds, but failed to test the returning Jensen as his 18-yard strike drifted wide.

The hosts responded well and almost took the lead in the fourth minute when Akinbiyi sent in a stinging drive from the edge of the box which was tipped round the post by Plymouth goalkeeper Luke McCormick.

Former Everton striker Nick Chadwick was the next to come close as he drew a good save out of Jensen at the other end from a narrow angle.

Tony Grant and Akos Buzsaky then sent shots over the bar for either side in a lively opening quarter-of-an-hour.

The pace of the game began to slow as the half progressed but Burnley's on-loan forward Bowditch fizzed another shot over the top in the 27th minute.

Both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances and neither made the breakthrough before the interval.

The second half also began in lively fashion and Grant became the latest player to send a shot off-target in the 48th minute. Bowditch then saw a shot blocked by Doumbe as the Clarets piled on the pressure but they could still find no way past a spirited Plymouth defence.

Burnley's territorial advantage began to grow as the half went on but their play in the final third continually let them down.

However, the late penalty decision allowed Valois to secure the win and O'Connor added the extra gloss to the result.

Teams

Burnley Jensen, Sinclair, McGreal, Cahill (Duff 90), Camara, O'Connor, Grant (Valois 75), Hyde, Branch, Akinbiyi, Bowditch (Oster 68).

Subs Not Used: Coyne, Roche.

Booked: Branch, Akinbiyi, Sinclair.

Goals: Valois 87 pen, O'Connor 90.

Plymouth McCormick, Worrell, Coughlan, Doumbe, Gilbert, Norris, Wotton, Buzsaky, Chadwick, Evans (Milne 66), Taylor (Capaldi 78).

Subs Not Used: Larrieu, Lasley, Gudjonsson.

Booked: McCormick.

Att: 12,893

Ref: T Bates (Staffordshire).