Argyle exited the Carabao with a 4-2 defeat to Coventry City in which the Greens went down with honour against the newly-forged Premier League side.
Things looked bleak early on. Taiwo Awoniyi and Jack Rudoni scored within five minutes, and it seemed Coventry might have an easy night, but it proved far from it. Argyle scored via Oliver Irow to make it 2-1 at the break, and Xavier Amaechi equalised, deservedly, bringing it to 2-2. Eventually, Coventry wore Argyle down, and scored via Ephron Mason-Clark and a Victor Torp penalty.
But despite going out of the competition, it did not feel like a wholly bad night for Argyle, who played with great spirit and no little quality of their own.
Argyle’s starting 11 had three – arguably four – debutants. Most eye-catching was 17-year-old apprentice Joe Mwaro, starting the game at right-back. Jimmy Storer, a summer signing, was given his first start, between the posts, while Irow and Tyreeq Bakinson, both Monday arrivals, came straight into the team. For 20-year-old Irow, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, it was a debut. For Bakinson, a second debut if you will, the midfielder having had a previous loan spell with Argyle six years ago.
The back four in front of Storer comprised, from the right, Mwaro, Wes Harding, Mathias Ross and Matty Sorinola. Irow began on the left of a midfield which featured Caleb Watts on the right, with Harvey White and Bakinson in the centre. Bradley Ibrahim played in support of forward Will Evans.
Coventry’s Premier League class showed within three minutes of kick-off. Defender Liam Kitching played a ball into midfielder Caleb Yirkenki, who glanced round the corner for Awoniyi to run on to and clip past Storer.
Only just over a minute later, Coventry had doubled their lead. This time, Awoniyi was involved in the build-up, drawing a foul for a tackle by Harding, but the ball fell to Rudoni, and the referee played an advantage. Rudoni’s chipped finish was classy, and it was 2-0, with the game only just over four minutes old.
Argyle responded reasonably well - as much as you can do, having gone two down so swiftly, anyway – and drew a free-kick on the left-hand side. The delivery found Ross, who headed wide.
Coventry had a good chance to make it three, Jake Bidwell running onto a deep cross and heading not far wide, but Argyle struck on 20 minutes to make the game a lot more interesting.
In his own half, with time to select his club, scratch golfer White pulled out an eight iron and floated a ball into the path of Irow, who seemed to have the fairway – well, the left flank – to himself. The new man drove into the area, cut back onto his right foot to evade the recovering Latibeaudiere, and struck low into the net, through another defender in the six-yard area, and past the unsighted goalkeeper Dan Bentley.
Coventry should have renewed their two-goal lead five minutes later. Latibeaudiere crossed from the right, and Awoniyi was unmarked, but he inexplicably headed wide.
Argyle, looking more confident, hit the woodwork bang on half an hour. Evans had hit a cross-shot across the six-yard area, which Mwaro sprinted to recover before it went out. A pass or four later, and White had found a pocket just over 20 yards out.
It was the sort of the range where one might think: ‘he probably won’t score, but a shot on target could at least work the keeper’. And so it proved, with Bentley getting down to block the shot, but spilling into the path of Evans, doing what good strikers do, following up. However, Bentley did a brilliant job of recovering enough to turn Evans’ follow-up onto the post.
The Green Army, to their credit, did not turn on their players, even after the opening two-goal salvo would have severely dented hope and morale. By now, they were buzzing, even in a losing position, because they clearly appreciated Argyle’s endeavour on show.
Amongst a rousing chorus, Argyle won a throw on the left, and launched it into the area. The ball was cleared out of the area, and volleyed back in via the right foot of White. Bentley was untroubled, but it was far from a bad effort.
There were still opportunities before the interval. An Irow cross was cleared to Bakinson, who shot wide, and Irow later found the side netting after being found by a superb Evans pass.
After a half-time break in which Amaechi replaced Watts in what looked like a planned switch, Argyle came out well into the second half, showing the same desire and hustle to make it uncomfortable for the Sky Blues.
To be fair, Coventry had the first big chance of the period, Rudoni oozing class as he exchanged with Awoniyi and then whistled wide. But it was Argyle who got the game’s fourth goal.
It was all Amaechi’s work. Coventry captain Kitching couldn’t stand the heat of Amaechi pressing him, and the Argyle winger nicked the ball and bore down on goal. His finish was low, calm and precise – and Argyle had parity.
Three more subs came for the Greens on the hour mark. Tegan Finn, Caleb Roberts and Bim Pepple were all introduced, replacing Irow, White and Evans.
Coventry went back in front on 67 minutes, with substitute Mason-Clark making a quick impact, having only been on for five minutes. His final touch was the simple bit, coming from virtually on the goal-line. Coventry had imparted pressure with a cross by Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, then kept it up with a return ball by Victor Torp. Mason-Clark, from a quarter of a yard, got the ball over the line.
Argyle did not lie down. Finn headed on target to make Bentley tip over, then there was chaos from the resultant corner, although a foul was given for a push on the goalkeeper.
It was a welcome sight to see Joe Edwards on as a 74th-minute substitute, but he was the unfortunate party in giving away one of those penalties that, frankly, is a penalty, but you can help but feel for the person giving it away.
Argyle looked like they had dealt with a ball that had been bouncing around their box, and Edwards pulled back his right foot to boot it clear. However, Brandon Thomas-Asante had nipped in between, so the Argyle skipper essentially kicked him in the leg, and a penalty was given. It was despatched beautifully into the top corner by Torp.
Argyle probably should have a penalty of their own. It really did look like Pepple had spun his man in the area and was hauled down, but referee Elliott Swallow swiftly denied it.
It was a shame, not just because it was probably the wrong decision, but had Argyle converted, we would have had a grandstand finish that the game deserved.
As it was, Coventry advanced, and Argyle exit, but positive pervaded the night, not least an assured display by Mwaro, who picked up the nod for sponsors’ man of the match.
Onto Saturday, and the visit of the league leaders of the embryonic league table, Bradford City. See you then.
Argyle: 21 Jimmy Storer, 2 Mathias Ross, 7 Harvey White (24 Caleb Roberts, 59), 9 Will Evans (27 Bim Pepple, 59), 14 Oliver Irow (26 Tegan Finn, 59), 17 Caleb Watts (10 Xavier Amaechi, half-time), 19 Tyreeq Bakinson (8 Joe Edwards, 74), 23 Bradley Ibrahim, 29 Matty Sorinola, 40 Joe Mwaro, 45 Wes Harding (capt). Substitutes: 1 Murphy Cooper (gk), 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 11 Ronan Curtis, 22 Alex Hartridge.
Goals: Irow 21, Amaechi 54
Booked: Amaechi 62
Coventry: 25 Daniel Bentley, 4 Bobby Thomas (24 Aurele Amenda, half-time), 5 Jack Rudoni (10 Ephron Mason-Clark, 62), 7 Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, 8 Caleb Yirenki (28 Josh Eccles, 70), 14 Taiwo Awoniyi (49 Sidiki Cherif, 70), 15 Liam Kitching (capt), 21 Jake Bidwell, 22 Joel Latibeaudiere, 29 Victor Torp, 38 Gustavo Hamer (23 Brandon Thomas-Asante, 70). Substitutes: 13 Ben Wilson (gk), 6 Matt Grimes, 18 Loum Tchaouna, 27 Milan van Ewijk.
Goals: Awoniyi 3, Rudoni 5, Mason-Clark 67, Torp 78
Booked: Latibeaudiere 12, Eccles 85
Attendance: 14,210 (2,244 away)
Referee: Elliott Swallow
