Substitute Jamie Mackie made a dream debut for Plymouth with two second-half goals against 10-man Barnsley. The visitors had Lewin Nyatanga sent off on four minutes for a foul just outside the area - and Steve MacLean scored from the resulting free-kick.
And Mackie - who replaced Jermaine Easter in the 74th minute - doubled his side's lead 60 seconds later when he turned in Peter Halmosi's cross.
And former Exeter striker Mackie added his second goal in the 84th minute.
Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock:
"The rest of his game when he came on, apart from the goals, was a nightmare. "His other six touches were all passes that went to the opposition, but that's what we've got on our hands.
"Hopefully his goalscoring knack will never be changed, but there's lots to be done on other parts of his game."
Barnsley captain Brian Howard on Lewin Nyatanga's dismissal:
"I think it was a foul, and when you are the last defender, you are always in danger of getting yourself sent off. "But it was far enough out for perhaps somebody else to get back and cover.
"When he showed the red card, it was almost game over, especially when they scored from the following free-kick."
Plymouth: McCormick, Connolly, Timar, Doumbe, Sawyer, Halmosi, Nalis, Abdou (Wotton 87), Paterson, Easter (Mackie 75), MacLean.
Subs Not Used: Larrieu, Fallon, Summerfield.
Booked: Doumbe.
Goals: MacLean 6, Mackie 76, 85.
Barnsley: Warner, Foster, Souza, Nyatanga, Kozluk, Leon (Campbell-Ryce 64), De Silva, Howard, Devaney (Ferenczi 80), Macken, Nardiello (Hassell 7).
Subs Not Used: Odejayi, Coulson.
Sent Off: Nyatanga (4).
Booked: Foster.
Att: 11,346
Ref: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire).
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