TIME IS starting to run out for Argyle as they try to save themselves from relegation.

Beginning tomorrow night, with the trip to Queens Park Rangers, they have 13 more matches to play.

That is the first of two successive away games, with a trip to Coventry City to follow this Saturday.

The pressure is on to win at least one of those matches after the 1-1 draw against Preston North End at Home Park on Saturday.

Argyle are now seven points away from safety, although it is effectively eight as 21st-placed Crystal Palace have a far superior goal difference.

So Paul Mariner's Pilgrims need wins, and soon, to keep alive their hopes of staying up.

The clash against Preston was certainly a missed opportunity for them.

Argyle were totally outplayed in the opening half-an-hour by a team who had lost all of their previous three away matches, conceding 10 goals in the process.

Preston had the chances to have put the outcome beyond doubt, even at that early stage of the contest.

As it was, Argyle only conceded one goal – yet another one from a corner, which has been a familiar theme all season.

The Pilgrims then started to rouse themselves as half-time approached.

And after the introduction of winger Craig Noone as a substitute at the start of the second period, they applied most of the pressure.

Midfielder Damien Johnson equalised from the penalty spot in the 70th minute.

Then, in the closing stages of the game, Noone smashed a 25-yard shot against the crossbar.

The ball ricocheted to Rory Fallon, another substitute, whose diving header was superbly saved by Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan.

In the end, Argyle could easily have won the match, but that has been the story for them over recent matches.

Instead, they have gone four games without a win since beating Barnsley 3-1 at Oakwell on February 13.

The Pilgrims have drawn three of those matches, but that is simply not enough in the position they find themselves in.

Argyle need wins, which was why Mariner's team selection against Preston was surprising.

Noone was outstanding in the previous home game against Leicester City, which also ended in a 1-1 draw.

But he did not make the starting line-up on Saturday. Nor did Yannick Bolasie.

And on-loan Blackburn Rovers midfielder Alan Judge, who has so often been a spark for the Pilgrims in the past, was not even on the substitutes' bench.

Instead, Chris Clark and Karl Duguid played in the wide midfield roles for Argyle, with Johnson and Luke Summerfield in the centre.

Joe Mason, 18, made his second start as the strike partner to top scorer Jamie Mackie.

But it soon became clear the Pilgrims simply did not have enough attack-minded players on the pitch.

Preston took the initiative from the kick-off, and really should have finished Argyle off when they had the chance.

When Noone came on at the start of the second half there was an almost immediate transformation.

That was followed soon afterwards by the introduction of Fallon for Clark, who was injured.

Mason moved out to the right-side of midfield and with Noone remaining on the left, all of a sudden, Argyle had a much better balance, and attacking threat, about them.

Mariner explained he had wanted his side to be solid to start off with.

That was because of the new-look defence, which saw loan signing Richard Eckersley make his debut at right-back.

Carl Fletcher also moved from midfield to centre-back because of a groin injury to Reda Johnson.

The game plan was to contain Preston early on, and then send on Noone, or Bolasie, to make an impact off the bench.

The problem was that Argyle did not contain Preston early on. Far from it.

The Pilgrims were forced onto the defensive, and the service to Mackie and Mason was appalling.

The two strikers needed the ball played to their feet, or into the channels.

Instead, long hopeful punts were sent in their general direction, and for two centre-backs of the calibre of Youl Mawene and Sean St Ledger it was all too easy.

It was a different story, though, in the second half, as Noone teased and tormented Preston right-back Billy Jones.

Jones ended up so frustrated he clattered into Noone deep into stoppage time.

It was a dreadful tackle, and why referee Andy Woolmer did not send him was a complete mystery.

Fortunately, Noone did not seem to be seriously hurt as a result of the reckless challenge.

The secret to Argyle's revival was getting crosses into the penalty area and asking questions of the Preston defence.

And they could not always come up with the correct answers.

Preston deservedly took the lead in the 18th minute, after Ross Wallace, Matt James and Jon Parkin had all earlier gone close to scoring for them.

Wallace curled a corner into the six-yard area and St Ledger headed home.

It was the seventh successive game in which Argyle had conceded the first goal, and St Ledger almost put Preston 2-0 up in the 23rd minute.

Initially, Wallace's fierce 30-yard free-kick was parried away by David Stockdale.

The ball rebounded to St Ledger and hit him as he was running in, and it then went narrowly wide of the far post.

Argyle did improve as half-time approached, however, and almost equalised in the 43rd minute.

Clark whipped in a cross from the right wing and Mason's well-directed header was clawed over the bar by Lonergan.

With Noone on for Summerfield at the start of the second half, Argyle soon took control of the match.

Their endeavours were finally rewarded when they were awarded a penalty in the 70th minute.

Noone's corner was headed on by Fletcher, and the ball struck the arm of Preston's on-loan Manchester United midfielder Matt James.

Johnson coolly converted the penalty, rolling the ball to Lonergan's right as he dived to his left.

There was then late drama as first Noone, then Fallon, almost scored in the 89th minute.

But the bar, and Lonergan, came to the rescue for Preston and Argyle had to settle for a third 1-1 draw in their last four matches.