Before the kick-off at Home Park on Saturday, the return to Plymouth Argyle of former promotion-winning skipper Paul Wotton had been the main talking point. But it was the team's current captain, Simon Walton, who was the centre of attention after the game as the Pilgrims clinched their first win of 2012.

Walton and Wotton were Argyle's central midfield pairing in the 2-1 home win over Burton Albion which lifted them off the bottom of npower League Two. With Wotton in the team, Walton was encouraged by manager Carl Fletcher to push forward more, and that paid off in the 47th minute.

Walton fired home from 20 yards, with his weaker left foot, to put the hosts 1-0 up. After Calvin Zola equalised for Burton, Walton converted an 89th-minute penalty that spot-kick specialist Wotton would have been proud of.

With Walton and Wotton providing solidity in the centre of the pitch, it was important that the Pilgrims had good attacking outlets in the wide positions. In 20-year-old Ashley Hemmings and Luke Young, 18, they had just that.

Hemmings is turning out to be a real crowd-pleaser for the Pilgrims with his dazzling displays on the wing.

Plymouth-born Young is not naturally suited to playing on the right side of midfield, as he did for most of the match on Saturday, but he made an important contribution to the victory with his energy, skill and enthusiasm.

Argyle were without striker Nick Chadwick for a second successive match because of a hamstring injury. Without him in their line-up, they do not have an out-and-out target man to lead the attack. But the Pilgrims have been coming up with goals from all over the pitch recently, and on Saturday it was Walton who stepped up.

Argyle had played Burton only once before – last September, when they lost 2-1 at the Pirelli Stadium. Goalkeeper Jake Cole and Walton were the only two survivors from the team that played that day in Staffordshire.

The first half against Burton was a scrappy, stop-start affair, with clear-cut chances few and far between. Argyle central defender Darren Purse had probably the best scoring opportunity of the period, when Hemmings curled a free-kick into the penalty area.

Purse seemed certain to head home from close range but, instead, he looked to make contact with the ball using the top of his shoulder and could not apply the finish required.

It did not take Argyle long to open the scoring at the start of the second half, though, as a fine run and pass from Young set up Walton. Despite using his less-favoured left foot, he drilled the ball past goalkeeper Ross Atkins from 20 yards.

Burton should have drawn level when midfielder Adam Bolder scuffed a shot and home goalkeeper Jake Cole saved easily. Argyle then had a good spell where they created a series of chances without getting a second goal.

Walton fired narrowly wide, Young hit the inside of the far post from a tight angle, Wotton forced a good low save out of Atkins, and recalled right-back Paul Bignot had a header cleared off the line. So it was particularly galling for the Pilgrims when Burton equalised in the 74th minute.

A deep free-kick from substitute Cleveland Taylor was headed back by Tony James and, after a flick-on from Justin Richards, Zola headed into the net from almost underneath the crossbar.

Argyle responded by creating further chances which they failed to convert but, when it seemed the game was destined to end in a draw, they were awarded a penalty.

Burton winger Andres Gurrieri, who had a trial at Home Park last summer, conceded the spot-kick for a needless trip on Hemmings. Walton made no mistake with his penalty, thumping it into the net.

Plymouth Argyle (4-4-2): Cole; Bignot, Purse, Blanchard, Bhasera; Young, Wotton, Walton, Hemmings (Soukouna 90); Feeney, Lecointe (Sutherland 65). Substitutes (not used): Larrieu (gk), Berry, Lennox.

Goals: Walton 47, 89 (pen).

Booking: Walton.

Burton Albion (4-4-2): Atkins; Driver, James, Austin, Blanchett; Gurrieri, Bolder, McGrath (Taylor 70), Palmer (Maghoma 59); Richards, Zola. Substitutes (not used): Corbett, Yussuf, Parkes.

Goal: Zola 74.

Referee: J Adcock (Nottinghamshire).

Attendance: 6,082.