Sturrock remained faithful to the starting line-up which began the last three games but admitted he was wary of the wintry conditions which swept across Devon on Saturday.

The Argyle boss said: "The conditions played a huge part out there and I know people may wonder why I did not change things around and freshen it up with the attackers I had on the bench, but I felt that the wind, which was getting stronger, could benefit Wednesday more than us in the second half.

"I was also mindful of losing a 2-0 half-time lead at Bristol City in the week, and didn't want that to happen again, even though we were three up."

Argyle went 1-0 ahead at Home Park after 15 minutes, when visiting goalkeeper Lee Grant could only palm away Paul Gallagher's wind-assisted drive from outside the box.

The ball fell to predatory winger Jamie Mackie, who ended up scrambling the ball off marker Tommy Spurr and then recalled central defender Mark Beevers and in.

Mackie also provided the second goal, for Gallagher on 25 minutes.

Mackie met Chris Clark's pacy crossfield pass with a first-time strike that flew in off on-loan Blackburn forward Gallagher as he was first to the low cross from the right.

Mackie then profited when Grant could only block target man Rory Fallon's spectacular bicycle kick from Luke Summerfield's corner from the left.

Half-time substitute Francis Jeffers missed a golden opportunity to pull a goal back for Wednesday after breaching the offside trap in the 49th minute - firing wide.

Wednesday boss Brian Laws admitted: "I am a little bit shocked because our early play did not suggest that and people will look at that score and say we got a drubbing but in reflection the first and third goals came from errors.

"Those goals were pretty poor defending and it was always going to be an uphill battle but having said that we still passed the ball well, we created and in the second half I said the next goal was going to be key whether we got back into the game, or not.

"Frannie was alert, he was clever, good movement, created a great opportunity, slipped through and should have scored.

"He missed the target and we have had another two or three opportunities to score and it would have been a lot closer game - it's just been the way it's going away from home."

Argyle dropped deep, inviting their opponents to use the wind at their backs to full effect in the second half - a point that disappointed Sturrock.

Jeffers profited, producing a defence-splitting pass to put James O'Connor in on goal.

Home goalkeeper Romain Larrieu saved but as the ball spun up it required an off-the-line header from on-loan Manchester United central defender Craig Cathcart to clear the danger.

On 75 minutes, the ball fell invitingly to substitute Jimmy Smith, who arrowed his volley wide from 12 yards.

With their chance gone and a late ankle injury to Spurr, 10-man Wednesday conceded a fourth when central defender Marcel Seip powered home a last minute header from another Summerfield corner from the left.