KEVIN Phillips' quick-fire double in first-half stoppage time sealed a brave Baggies fight-back at Home Park.
But Albion's relief at bagging a precious away point was soured by half-time substitute Neil Clement being red-carded seconds before the final whistle for a second bookable offence on David Norris.
Goals from Barry Hayles in the 23rd minute and Lilian Nalis four minutes before half-time fired Plymouth into a deserved two-goal lead.
But Albion somehow found themselves level at the break after Phillips netted in the first and third minutes of injury time to take his tally for the season to eight.
Either side could have won it in a Christmas cracker of a second half, with chances coming regularly at both ends.
Phillips had a golden opportunity to complete his hat-trick and steal the three points in the 86th minute when he burst through one-on-one with Romain Larrieu, only to fluff his finish.
But the Baggies were relieved to see Hoult deny Pilgrims substitute Cherno Samba before the same player whistled a shot past the post in a thrilling finale.
Tony Mowbray's men flew down to Devon this morning, with the Hawthorns boss hoping a change in routine would end their five-game winless run on the road.
An away victory remained elusive but Mowbray could at least take heart from the fact his side have stretched their unbeaten mini-run to four games.
Mowbray was forced to make one change as Darren Carter replaced Nigel Quashie (chest infection) in central midfield.
Hoult carried his superb form from last weekend's 5-0 win over Coventry into the Home Park encounter when Plymouth threatened in the fifth minute.
The Baggies shot-stopper made a crucial point-blank save to keep out Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's point-blank header from Norris' right-wing cross.
Just two minutes later, Norris latched onto Ebanks-Blake's lay-off and drilled a right-footed shot inches wide of the left-hand post from 18 yards.
Pilgrims midfielder Bojan Djordjic needed lengthy treatment to a bloodied nose in the tenth minute after challenging the impressive Jonathan Greening for an aerial ball in the centre circle.
Five minutes later, Akos Buzsaky swung in a free-kick from the left but Hayles sent his first-time volley well over from 12 yards.
Djordjic succumbed to his injury in the 22nd minute and was replaced by Samba.
A minute later, a neat touch by former Fulham striker Hayles played Norris in on goal.
Paul Robinson and skipper Curtis Davies both slid in to block the shot but the ball broke kindly for Hayles who rounded Hoult and kept his cool to slot home from a tight angle.
The Baggies almost replied immediately when Martin Albrechtsen's cross fell to Jason Koumas at the back post.
But the Welsh wizard smashed his volley just over the angle of post and bar.
Greening slipped as he fired in a free-kick from the right in the 33rd minute but it still found the unmarked Robinson, who headed wide when he should really have hit the target.
Albion's frustrations were getting the better of them and referee Iain Williamson awarded the Pilgrims a foul for a challenge by Robinson on Ebanks-Blake five minutes from half-time.
Tony Capaldi curled in the resultant free-kick from the right and Nalis was given the freedom of the Baggies box to double the hosts' advantage with a six-yard header.
But Albion hit back in stunning fashion.
A minute into first-half stoppage time, John Hartson neatly controlled Robinson's ball forward before turning to play Phillips in on goal.
The former England international kept his composure to drift past Larrieu before rolling the ball into the empty net.
Plymouth handed Mowbray's men an early Christmas present two minutes later when Larrieu booted his clearance straight to Phillips.
The in-form Baggies striker controlled the ball 40 yards out before smashing a low volley goalwards, which the Argyle stopper could only punch into his own net as he went to ground.
It was Phillips' third goal in two games.
Mowbray made a change at the interval as Clement replaced Albrechtsen to join Davies at centre-half, with Paul McShane moving to right-back.
The Baggies could have gone ahead in the 59th minute as Ian Holloway's side found themselves under pressure from a corner.
When Robinson pumped the ball back in, Hartson found himself unmarked on the right side of the penalty area.
The former Celtic hitman unleashed a powerful 15-yard volley which Larrieu beat out and Davies blazed the rebound into the crowd.
At the other end, Hoult whacked a clearance against Ebanks-Blake and the ball looked like trickling into the empty net until Davies came to the rescue and knocked the ball out for a corner.
Phillips came within inches of notching his second hat-trick of the season on the hour-mark when he managed to beat Marcel Seip to Greening's low cross, only to see Larrieu pounce on the ball just before it crossed the line.
Koumas thundered in a 35-yard free-kick in the 71st minute, which Larrieu just managed to tip over.
Three minutes later, Mowbray made a double switch as Nathan Ellington and Zoltan Gera came on for Hartson and Koumas.
Ellington chased down the ball in the 78th minute and forced the Plymouth defence into a mistake.
The former Wigan striker pinched the ball from Hasney Aljofree and, with Larrieu way out of goal, fed Phillips who should have tried his luck first time but allowed the Argyle keeper to get back and push him wide before firing past the near post.
Ebanks-Blake pulled off a spectacular overhead kick nine minutes from time but was denied by a fantastic save from Hoult to keep the scores level.
Norris powered into the box in the 84th minute but, after doing all the hard work, chipped his effort inches over the bar.
Hayles' misplaced pass then sent Phillips clean through and he looked sure to round Larrieu for the second time in the game, only to fire a tame shot at his legs.
The action swung to the other end and Samba fired just past the left-hand post a minute from the end.
There was still time for substitute Clement to be given his marching orders for a second bookable offence when he tripped Norris in the dying seconds.
PLYMOUTH (4-4-2): Larrieu; Seip, Kouo-Doumbe, Aljofree, Capaldi; Norris, Buzsaky, Nalis, Djordjic (Samba 22); Ebanks-Blake, Hayles. Subs not used: McCormick (gk), Sawyer, Summerfield, Gosling.
ALBION (4-4-2): Hoult; Albrechtsen (Clement HT), C Davies, McShane, Robinson; Kamara, Greening, Carter, Koumas (Gera 74); Hartson (Ellington 74), Phillips. Subs not used: Zuberbuhler (gk), Chaplow.
GOALS: PLYMOUTH - Hayles (23), Nalis (41). ALBION - Phillips (45+1, 45+3).
BOOKINGS: PLYMOUTH - Ebanks-Blake (foul 71), Samba (foul 90+2). ALBION - Robinson (foul 40), Carter (foul 58), Clement (foul 68), Davies (foul 73).
SENDING-OFF: ALBION - Clement (second bookable offence 90+5).
REFEREE: Iain Williamson (Berkshire).
ATTENDANCE: 15,172.
ALBION STARMAN: Kevin Phillips.
(PICS BY LAURIE RAMPLING)
