Peter Halmosi's timely brace banished Burnley hopes and powered Plymouth to a fourth straight win.

The Hungarian pounced to restore the Pilgrims' lead on the half-hour after James O'Connor had equalised Lilian Nalis' opener.

And Halmosi struck again with a low drive 15 minutes from time to consign Burnley's second half endeavour to the scrapheap.

The Clarets carved out several opportunities to level in a frantic second half - but Kyle Lafferty in particular was unable to apply the finishing touch.

Argyle boss Paul Sturrock will be grateful for Halmosi's scoring form - the midfielder also scored the Pilgrims' first in midweek and now has eight for the season.

On-loan Sunderland defender Russell Anderson made his home debut for the Pilgrims.

Burnley were forced to do without free-scoring striker Andy Cole, who sat out with an Achilles injury on the back of four goals in his first three games for the Clarets.

Northern Ireland international Lafferty switched from the wing to his favoured position up front, partnered by Robbie Blake.

Owen Coyle's side looked tetchy at the back with Stanislav Varga conceding a sloppy free-kick after 11 minutes.

Steven Caldwell managed to hack away Gary Sawyer's initial delivery, but when the ball returned Nalis pounced to strike home past a flailing Brian Jensen.

Jon Harley was booked soon after for a badly-timed challenge on Krisztian Timar as the visitors tried to regain composure.

But Owen Coyle's side did not have to wait long.

Lafferty found space on the right and crossed well for O'Connor to head home.

The Irish midfielder did not get the purchase he would have desired but his header was well enough directed to beat Luke McCormick.

Varga hobbled off with an injury midway through the first half, to be replaced by Clarke Carlisle, and the Slovakian's departure was the cue for Plymouth to launch a barrage of attacks.

Nadjim Abdou went closest with a long-range effort.

Eventually Steven McLean put Halmosi through and he forced the ball home after 33 minutes.

Brian Jensen made a fine save from Jermaine Easter on the stroke of half-time to keep Burnley in it.

Burnley unsurprisingly resumed the brighter in need of an equaliser, and the Pilgrims accumulated three needless bookings for Anderson, Sawyer and McLean.

The home side received further warnings when Gudjonsson and Wade Elliott shot over when well-placed 10 minutes after the restart.

And McCormick was forced into action to deny Lafferty, who seemed to be relishing his return to the Burnley forward line.

The Old Firm target had other goalbound efforts thwarted by Paul Connolly after 63 minutes and Timar seven minutes later.

But all Burnley's endeavour came to nothing on 75 minutes.

Jensen had punched away Halmosi's tricky corner, but the Dane was powerless when the ball broke kindly to the same player seconds later, and Halmosi drove home with aplomb.

Lafferty had the chance to break his stretch of nine matches without a goal in the third minute of injury time but headed wide of the left upright from close in.

Teams:

Plymouth McCormick, Connolly, Timar, Anderson, Sawyer, Teale (Wotton 75), Abdou, Nalis, Halmosi, Easter (Mackie 75), MacLean (Fallon 82).

Subs Not Used: Larrieu, Seip.

Booked: Anderson, Sawyer, MacLean.

Goals: Nalis 12, Halmosi 35, 76.

Burnley Jensen, Alexander, Caldwell, Varga (Carlisle 23), Harley (Unsworth 81), Elliott, Gudjonsson, James O'Connor, Lafferty, Blake, McCann (Randall 86).

Subs Not Used: Kiraly, Spicer.

Booked: Harley, Elliott.

Goals: James O'Connor 19.

Att: 13,557

Ref: Jarnail Singh (Middlesex).