Conference side Dagenham & Redbridge gave themselves an excellent chance of reaching the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history by deservedly holding Plymouth at Home Park.
Daggers took a 13th minute lead through Paul Terry, but were pegged back by Ian Stonebridge's leveller just before half time.
The second division club then went ahead on the hour thanks to Paul Wotton's 35-yard free-kick, but Dagenham ensured that the tie will resume at Victoria Road on Tuesday week when Junior McDougald netted midway through the second half.
Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock stayed faithful to the same starting line-up that defeated Cheltenham on New Year's Day and for Dagenham, McDougald returned from suspension to replace striker Guy Fletcher, who was cup-tied, having played for Leyton Orient in the first round of the competition.
The draw was no more than the Nationwide Conference side deserved. McDougald had already shot wide before Terry, brother of Chelsea centre back John, headed home John McGrath's cross at the near post.
Dagenham goalkeeper Tony Roberts then made an excellent save from Michael Evans before Stonebridge headed in from close range, after good work from Graham Coughlan following Martin Phillips' cross.
Wotton forced another fine save from Roberts with a fierce free-kick in the opening minute of the second half, before he put the Pilgrims ahead from similar range, although, this time, his free kick took a deflection en-route to goal.
It looked for a while as though that would be enough for the league team, but a long ball out of defence from Lee Matthews caught the Plymouth defence napping. Wotton and Coughlan left the ball to each other and McDougald nipped in between the pair of them to lob French goalkeeper Romain Larrieu with a mis-cued shot.
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