Plymouth recovered from conceding a controversial first-half goal to secure a point in a lively Coca-Cola Championship clash with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Steven MacLean put Wednesday in front with a 20th-minute goal that should never have been allowed to stand.

Chris Brunt's left-wing cross was routinely caught by Plymouth goalkeeper Luke McCormick, who appeared to be fouled by Deon Burton.

Referee Rob Lewis - the referee's assistant who failed to notice that then Tottenham midfielder Pedro Mendes' lob had crossed the line against Manchester United in January 2005 - saw nothing amiss to the amazement of both sets of players and MacLean tapped home the loose ball.

Dan Gosling took advantage of some charitable defending to equalise with a deflected strike 10 minutes after the break to secure a deserved point for Ian Holloway's FA quarter-finalists.

Wednesday boss Brian Laws made just one change to the side which beat Yorkshire rivals Leeds on Saturday, with MacLean replacing the suspended Marcus Tudgay.

While Holloway made eight changes to the Plymouth side that drew with Stoke at the weekend, with only McCormick, Peter Halmosi and Paul Connolly keeping their places in the starting line-up.

The Owls almost took the lead just two minutes in when Jermaine Johnson raced clear down the right and played in the unmarked MacLean, who steadied himself before sliding the ball past McCormick, only for the retreating Connolly to clear off the line.

Plymouth started to show some positive intent and it took a fine reflex save from on-loan goalkeeper Iain Turner to keep out a left-foot strike from Bojan Djordjic that was bound for the top corner.

The lively Tony Capaldi created space for himself and tried his luck with a vicious left-foot drive from the edge of the area which stung the palms of Turner.

But the opening goal came 20 minutes in, much to the disgust of the Plymouth players.

McCormick comfortably caught Brunt's tame left-wing cross, but Burton appeared to slide into him with a late challenge. The Argyle keeper spilled the ball and MacLean tapped home from close range.

The Plymouth players surrounded assistant referee Scott Duncan, but referee Lewis allowed the goal to stand.

Argyle showed a positive reaction to the goal and almost drew level when Hasney Aljofree headed a dangerous left-wing corner against the crossbar.

And Brunt almost extend Wednesday's advantage when his in-swinging corner appeared to be on its way inside the far post before McCormick palmed the ball behind for another corner.

Both sides pressed forward in the opening exchanges of the second half and a dangerous centre from Brunt required an excellent interception from Aljofree to deny Burton, who was ready to pounce.

But 10 minutes after the break the visitors were gifted a deserved equaliser when a long throw-in from the left was allowed to bounce in the area and Gosling had all the time in the world to set himself for a left-foot strike which took a deflection before looping over Turner and into the roof of the net.

Wednesday should have taken the lead minutes later when centre-back Richard Wood broke the offside trap before blazing a left-foot drive wastefully into the Kop.

MacLean was off target with a well struck right-foot drive which flashed past the post.

Holloway introduced Lee Hodges and Scott Sinclair for the final 20 minutes and moments later former Derby striker Burton's last contribution was to glance a right-wing cross over the crossbar.

Both sides pressed for a winner in the closing stages and Steve Watson almost brought the home crowd to their feet with a superb right-foot strike from 20 yards out which flashed narrowly wide of the upright.

Teams

Sheff Wed Turner, Bullen, Wood, Simek, Spurr, Whelan, Brunt,Watson, Johnson (Small 69), MacLean, Burton (Graham 72).

Subs Not Used: Adamson, Lunt, Gilbert.

Booked: Burton, Small.

Goals: MacLean 21.

Plymouth McCormick, Aljofree, Doumbe, Capaldi, Connolly,Nalis (Hodges 71), Norris, Halmosi, Gosling,Djordjic (Sinclair 71), Fallon.

Subs Not Used: Gallen, Sawyer, Summerfield.

Goals: Gosling 56.

Att: 19,449

Ref: R Lewis (Shropshire).