Lorent Tolaj scored a backheel in additional time to send Argyle into the next round of the Vertu Trophy, at the expense of Leyton Orient.
Tom Cleverley made wholesale changes to the team that lost at Home Park against Northampton Town on Saturday.
The most notable of which was the return of Julio Pleguezuelo; the Spaniard came in for his first minutes of the campaign following a lengthy injury lay-off.
Elsewhere, Luca Ashby-Hammond replaced Conor Hazard in goal, as he did in Argyle's last Vertu Trophy game, at Bristol Rovers.
Joe Edwards took the place of Kornel Szucs; the Hungarian suspended after picking up a red card in the Greens’ previous fixture in this competition against Bristol Rovers.
Caleb Roberts and Brendan Wiredu both had recalls to the side, as did Owen Oseni and Jamie Paterson.
It was quite an uneventful beginning to the game. Whilst both sides were able to get into dangerous areas, neither were able to create any meaningful goalscoring opportunities.
The hosts looked comfortable on the ball, as you would expect from a Richie Wellens side, and it was Argyle’s task to win it from them and offer a threat on the break.
On 20 minutes, Tolaj had a decent opportunity to find the first goal of the evening. Sorinola’s curled cross from the right was met by Argyle’s number nine in space just outside the six-yard box. There was too much power and not enough direction on his header, and it flashed across goal and wide.
Diallang Jaiyesimi responded with a volleyed effort for Orient, but that was high, leaving Ashby-Hammond comfortable in his goal.
Great defensive work from Edwards provided another chance for the Pilgrims; he intercepted a pass intended for Omotayo Adaramola and burst forward down the vacant right flank.
Looking up, Argyle’s skipper curled a pass beyond both Omar Beckles and Phillip Chinedu and into the feet of Oseni. The striker was closed down by Orient keeper Tommy Simkin but managed to squeeze an effort beyond him that narrowly bounced wide of the left post.
Shortly after, the hosts, through some fortune, nearly undid all the Greens’ hard work during the first period.
Theo Archibald’s corner deflected off both Edwards and Tolaj and looked destined for the back of the net, had it not been for the quick reactions of Ashby-Hammond. O’s youngster Chinedu connected with the rebound but hit the post from just yards out.
With both teams showing threat in an open game, it was not a shock that both opted to tighten things up in an effort not to give a goal away before the break.
In a planned substitution, the returning Pleguezuelo made way at half-time for Alex Mitchell.
Clever play between Oseni and Tolaj nearly forged a shooting chance for the Greens; however, a block from Chinedu just took the ball away from the danger area, allowing the Orient defenders a chance to regroup.
It would not be an Argyle game at the moment without a bit of controversy. Paterson’s drilled ball found substitute Mitchell inside the area, he beat Simkin to the ball, with the ‘keeper instead clattering into the defender.
Skipper Edwards asked the penalty question to Mr Mulhall, that many in green were arguing, but to no avail. In the dugout, Cleverley was later booked; it could only be assumed for arguing that same point.
Sorinola saved his team’s blushes after substitute Sonny Perkins broke from an Argyle free-kick and looked to be one-on-one with Ashby-Hammond. The Pilgrims’ left-back caught the fresh-legged replacement and made an excellent sliding challenge to eliminate the danger.
It would be the Orient sub that continued to cause Argyle danger, this time forcing an excellent double save from Ashby-Hammond as he looked destined to guide his close-range effort in, after the Greens’ keeper had got down well to deny Jack Moorhouse from range.
Further chances came for the hosts as the half drew on, Joe White’s effort from inside the area had hearts in mouths, fortunately, it cannoned off a body inside the congested six-yard box.
With the momentum seemingly now in the hosts’ favour, Cleverley turned to his bench, bringing on Tegan Finn and Malachi Boateng for Oseni and Roberts.
As the hosts pushed on in search of the winner, the gaps in their defence began to appear wider and more often for Argyle. Finn and Dale were playing off Tolaj and looking most likely to exploit these vulnerabilities with their pace.
Neither team looked content with the game going to penalties, both desperate to find a late winner to seal the tie in regular time.
The moment looked to come for Argyle in the last minute when Tolaj intercepted Jack Simpson’s header back to Simkin.
The forward lobbed the ‘keeper, who was well off his line, and had it not been for a desperately late intervention from Chinedu, would have found a dramatic winning goal.
The Greens did not let this get them down; they went again. Paterson found Mitchell at the far post, his header a good one, but stopped by the outstretched leg of Simkin.
However, it was third time lucky for Argyle, Tolaj righting some wrongs from Saturday with a clever finish to win the game.
Sorinola, who had been brilliant at both ends of the pitch, put a dangerous cross into the area that neither White nor Chinedu could clear.
The only man to see calm in the chaos was Tolaj, and without hesitation, he backheeled the ball beyond the seemingly impenetrable Simkin. His tenth Argyle goal, and third in this competition.
With seconds left on the clock, it did not take long for the referee to blow his whistle, ending the game and confirming Argyle’s place in the Round of 16.
Leyton Orient: 1 Tommy Simkin, 3 Omotayo Adaramola, 9 Alfie Lloyd (20 Sonny Perkins, 64), 14 Michael Craig (25 Charlie Wellens, 46), 17 Josh Koroma, 19 Omar Beckles (capt) (4 Jack Simpson, 46), 21 Jack Moorhouse, 27 Diallang Jaiyesimi, 29 Zech Obiero (28 Sean Clare, 71), 34 Phillip Chinedu, 44 Theo Archibald (30 Joe White, 64). Substitutes: 33 Killian Cahill (gk), 35 Zack Hambury.
Booked: Koroma 39, Obiero 54
Argyle: 21 Luca Ashby-Hammond, 2 Mathias Ross, 4 Brendan Wiredu, 5 Julio Pleguezuelo (15 Alex Mitchell, 46), 7 Jamie Paterson, 8 Joe Edwards (capt), 9 Lorent Tolaj, 18 Owen Oseni (39 Tegan Finn, 77), 24 Caleb Roberts (19 Malachi Boateng, 77), 29 Matty Sorinola, 35 Owen Dale. Substitutes: 1 Conor Hazard (gk), 2 Bali Mumba, 20 Law McCabe, 38 Joe Hatch.
Goals: Tolaj 90+3
Referee: Sam Mulhall
--
Want to become a digital sponsor of Argyle this season? Contact commercial@pafc.co.uk for more information.
