LOVE was in the air at Home Park as a Plymouth fan made a very public marriage proposal during the half time break.
And charitable Burnley were the ones bearing gifts as two first half goals gave Argyle the platform for a fourth successive league victory.
James O'Connor's 18th minute equaliser, following Brian Jensen's mistake, should have been the platform for the Clarets to take something from their long trip south.
But despite bossing the first half, more nightmare defending allowed Argyle to crucially take the lead again before the break.
And despite enjoying long periods of domination in the second half and forcing the Pilgrims on to the defensive for long periods, Peter Halmosi's second goal of the afternoon in the final 15 minutes sealed the visitors' fate.
Owen Coyle made a tactical change following the late withdrawal of Ade Akinbiyi with a virus.
With Andrew Cole another absentee (Achilles) the Clarets reverted to a 4-3-3, giving Kyle Lafferty given the central role he craves, flanked by Robbie Blake and Wade Elliott.
Argyle had loan signings Gary Teale and Russell Anderson starting as they went in search of a fourth straight victory.
But it was the Clarets who started well, forcing two early corners and looking to involve Blake at every opportunity.
Defensively, Coyle's men enjoyed a quiet opening 12 minutes, but disaster struck when Brian Jensen gifted Argyle the lead with their first purposeful attack.
Steven Caldwell headed a harmless looking free kick to the edge of the area and the Lilian Nalis's weak shot looked easy for the Danish keeper, who was left grimacing as is squirmed through his grasp and into the goal.
A shocking tackle on Wade Elliott then went unchallenged as referee Jarnail Singh - who had an absolute shocker throughout - ridiculously waved play on.
But Elliott exacted revenge in the best possible fashion in the 18th minute, teeing up the equaliser with a terrific bit of wing play.
The winger jinked past two men to get to the by-line and dinked a cross up for Lafferty, whose cushioned header was nodded expertly into the corner of goal by the inrushing O'Connor.
That was the first goal conceded by Argyle in four games and 333 minutes.
Clarke Carlisle made his first appearance since December 29th midway through the half, replacing Stan Varga who headed straight to the dressing room.
But another defensive shocker by Burnley saw Argyle take the lead again in the 35th minute.
The Clarets failed so many times to clear a bobbling ball that they almost invited the hosts to score and when Peter Halmosi's initial effort was blocked by Jensen, the Hungarian was first to react to loop the ball home from close range.
Seconds before half time, Burnley capitulated again as first Carlisle and then Caldwell both failed to clear their lines.
Jermaine Easter took full advantage to nick the ball off the latter and race clear, but Jensen made a magnificent save to make redeem his earlier mistake and keep the Clarets in the game at the break.
The interval brought the proposal - she said yes, by the way! - followed by a rousing and perhaps inappropriate rendition of 'The Great Escape'.
Perhaps it hinted at a second half revival from the visitors?
And when Robbie Blake was close to turning Graham Alexander's free kick in within 60 seconds, the signs were there that Burnley could find a way through.
A great four-man move then saw Lafferty released down the right and when the Irish striker picked out O'Connor, it took a great block to deny the midfielder his second goal.
Jensen denied Easter just before the hour mark as the Pilgrims launched their first attack of the half.
But Lafferty soon tested McCormick with an 18 yard curler as the Clarets went back on the attack.
The 62nd minute brought an even better chance for the Northern Ireland international.
Elliott again tore at Gary Sawyer and crossed for Lafferty, who swung at fresh air as he tried to turn the ball home eight yards out.
Chris McCann's 63rd minute angled drive across goal was somehow deflected for a corner as the pressure mounted.
But despite the play being played almost exclusively in the Argyle half, keeper McCormick was not being seriously tested.
And they paid the penalty with 15 minutes remaining. Gary Teale's stinging drive was turned for a corner by Jensen.
But the Clarets never got the ball clear and as a high ball dropped out of the sky Halmosi out-muscled Jon Harley on the right before unleashing a piledriver inside the near post.
That was that - and after a bizarre 90 minutes that Burnley dominated for long periods, they had nothing to show for their sterling efforts.
Burnley: Jensen, Alexander, Caldwell, Varga (Carlisle 24), Harley (Unsworth 82), McCann (Randall 86), J'O Connor, Gudjonsson
Elliott, Lafferty, Blake
Subs: Kiraly, Spicer
Booked: Harley 15, Elliott 78
Plymouth: McCormick, Connolly, Nalis, Timar, Teale (Wotton 75), MacLean (Fallon 82), Halmosi, Sawyer, Anderson, Abdou, Easter (Mackie 75).
Subs: Larrieu, Seip
Booked: Anderson 40, Sawyer, 46, MacLean 55
Ref: J Singh
