Gozie Ugwu’s first goal since September gave Wycombe Wanderers a 1-0 win against Plymouth Argyle as Barry Richardson made his first appearance since 2005.

The only goal at Home Park came early on before Richardson entered the action after Alex Lynch had picked up an injury in the 14th minute.

Lynch left the field on a stretcher and Wycombe could be left with Richardson as their only fit goalkeeper for the visit of Luton Town next week.

The match also saw a post-match flair up between the two managers which saw both benches and multiple players involved in a heated dispute.

Wycombe are now eighth in League Two, a point outside the play-off places, and the result ended a run of three league defeats in row.

Wycombe started brightly and took the lead inside three minutes as Ugwu bundled home from two yard out.

The striker, one of three former Argyle players in the Wycombe side, reacted fastest after Aaron Pierre had got on the end of Joe Jacobson’s dangerous near post corner.

Pierre’s effort was only partially cleared allowing Ugwu to prod through a pile of bodies to grab his second goal for the club.

Plymouth almost levelled in the most controversial of fashions just after the ten minute mark as Lynch, who had just received lengthy treatment, miscued a kick from the restart.

With the Wycombe number one still lying on the floor the home side flooded forward but Ruben Reid could only slice his shot wide from ten yards out with the goal at his mercy.

With Lynch unable to continue, 46-year-old Richardson, who also works as the club’s first team coach, came on to make his first appearance since a Football League Trophy defeat for Doncaster in November 2005.

From that point on the first half became a midfield battle as both sides flew into challenges on what was a boggy Home Park surface.

Wycombe had a decent chance to double their lead in the 36th minute as a well worked move involving Paul Hayes and Matt Bloomfield released Paris Cowan-Hall on the left.

The 25-year-old, making his first start since arriving on loan from Millwall, picked out Ugwu with a clipped cross but the striker failed to connect with a volley from six yards out as he jostled with Peter Hartley.

With nine minutes of injury time called, and Plymouth pushing for an equaliser, the home side had a strong shout for a penalty turned down.

A powerful run saw Reid break through the heart of the Wycombe defence only to be dragged back by Jason McCarthy as he set himself to shoot.

A falling Reid managed to get a shot away, which Richardson saved well with his legs, but he had every right to feel aggrieved as the Southampton loanee clearly pulled him back.

McCarthy would surely have seen red had the referee seen the infringement and was lucky to survive.

The half ended in a melee in the centre circle as Carl McHugh caught Matt Bloomfield with a crunching challenge.

Argyle started the second half brightly and after consistent pressure were close to levelling as an unmarked Curtis Nelson volleyed goalwards from a corner.

His attempt was creeping in at the back post but Michael Harriman reacted well to clear off of the line.

With 20 minutes left and after a brief lull in proceedings Bloomfield had a good chance to give Wanderers breathing space as a clever through ball found him in space in the area.

His initial left-foot drive from a tight angle came straight back to him from Luke McCormick’s save but the Wycombe number ten could not steer the loose ball past the prone keeper.

Richardson had enjoyed a relatively quiet return to competitive action but almost made an error as he failed to hold a tame free kick.

However, the veteran recovered well to gather the loose ball as Plymouth searched for a late equaliser that never materialised.

In truth he had little to do throughout the match and the Wycombe defence had done superbly to deny high-flying Plymouth clear cut chances and pick up a much needed win.

Plymouth Argyle: McCormick; Mellor, Nelson (C), Hartley, Sawyer, Threlked, McHugh, Jervis, Tanner (Brunt 66), Wylde, Reid

Subs not used: Bittner; Nardiello, Carey, Purrington, Rooney, Forster

Wycombe Wanderers: Lynch (Richardson 15); Jombati, McCarthy, Pierre, Jacobson, Harriman, Bloomfield, Bean, Cowan-Hall, Ugwu (Thompson 80), Hayes (C) (O’Nien 72)

Subs not used: McGinn, Stewart, Amadi-Holloway, Kretzschmar

Bookings: Cowan-Hall (33 foul on Wylde), McHugh (45 foul on Bloomfield), Hayes (45 Arguing with ref)

Referee: Phillip Gibbs

Attendance: 8,458 (222 away)