Wednesday manager Sturrock's pre-match warning of a grim battle against his old club was the understatement of the season.
How 20,000 fans stomached it until the bitter end on a freezing night was the biggest surprise of the night in this basement battle.
But the Wednesday faithful who stuck it out thought they had been rewarded with a spectacular winner nine minutes from the end when sub Richie Patridge smashed a first time shot from ten yards after Paul Heckingbottom crossed. But somehow the Plymouth keeper turned it away with his foot.
Plymouth's Hungarian international Akos Buzsaky a summer signing from Porto, showed the touch and class that has attracted the attention of West Brom boss Bryan Robson and came within a whisker of crowning his performance with a goal.
The 23-year-old midfielder pounced seconds before the break but drilled his shot just wide after Wednesday keeper Nicky Weaver made a super full stretch save to turn away a rasping 25 yard drive from Anthony Barness.
Until then Wednesday had looked the most likely but Chris Eagles dithered after a sharp link with Gaby Agbonlahor and was hustled out of his shot.
Wednesday - beaten three times in their previous four matches - were eager for improvement but as they failed to make possession count Chris Brunt fired a 20 yard effort wide when Plymouth were back pedalling.
Wednesday defender Richard Wood and Plymouth front man Nick Chadwick both gave blood for the cause when a clash of heads left them both with gashed heads and needing first aid.
Brunt was wayward again six minutes into the second half when he squandered a chance created by an impressive break by Eagles and blazed wide after cutting in from the left.
And two minutes later at the other end Buzsaky went close again with a shot from the edge of the area that drifted wide.
Sturrock - still desperately hunting for a striker - shook up his front line on the hour in the hope of breaking the deadlock.
Defender Graham Lee , drafted in as a makeshift front man , and Agbonlahor, on loan from Villa, but they still could not find a way through.