Argyle in pole position to qualify for last 32 of EFL Trophy

The Pilgrims had seemed set for defeat as they trailed 2-0 to their League Two opponents until Bim Pepple, on as a second half substitute, slotted home his seventh goal of the season in all competitions in the 75th minute.

Tyreeq Bakinson then came up with a 90th minute equaliser and Argyle could even have won the tie outright deep into added time but Pepple had a penalty saved by Shaun MacDonald to set up the shoot-out.

Newport went first and Michael Adu-Poku had his shot saved by Argyle goalkeeper James Storer. That proved the decisive moment as the Pilgrims went on to successfully score through Harvey White, Oli Irow, Xavier Amaechi, People and Bradley Ibrahim.

The bonus point for Argyle leaves them top of Southern Section Group E on five points from two games, and while not mathematically sure of qualification for the round of 32 going into the last game against Swindon Town on November 10 their chances of doing so are extremely high.

Defender Mathias Ross was the Argyle captain against Newport and the only one in the team who started the 2-0 League One win away to Leyton Orient on Saturday.

Alongside Ross at centre-back was Jack MacKenzie, who had a chance to build up his match fitness after the injury issues which kept him out of action this season until the previous EFL Trophy tie against Palace under-21s a fortnight earlier.

There were starts for 17-year-olds Seb Campbell and Jared Rendle, as well the pair of Tegan Finn and Caleb Roberts, who have been on loan at National League South club Torquay United.

Bakinson, the loanee from Orient, returned in central midfield for the Pilgrims after missing the match against his parent club, while Caleb Watts led the attack with Campbell.

Pepple was a striker option as a substitute but Will Evans was rested for the EFL Trophy tie after starting 11 of Argyle’s 12 competitive matches this term.

Newport’s team also showed 10 changes from their 0-0 League Two draw at Gillingham on Saturday, with right-back Joe Thomas the one player retaining his place.

There was a very sparse crowd at Rodney Parade, which included around 450 members of the Green Army, and as a result there was a low-key atmosphere at kick-off.

The Newport supporters soon had something to cheer about as their team opened the scoring in just the third minute.

Matt Smith switched the ball out to Kieron Evans wide on the left and he cut inside Matty Sorinola before beating Storer with a superb 20-yard shot.

It was a terrific strike from Evans, and worthy of a much bigger stage than this EFL Trophy match could provide.

Newport almost doubled their lead in the 12th minute when Aaron Lewis whipped in a cross from the right and Cole Jarvis sent a powerful header narrowly wide of Storer’s left post.

County continued to pose all of the attacking threat as Yahya Bamba sped into the Argyle box and then fired a low shot across the face of goal.

There was nothing coming from Argyle going forward, with Watts and Campbell not getting the ball anywhere close to scoring positions.

Xavier Amaechi did get one cross in from the right after a good build-up involving Bakinson and Sorinola but Newport goalkeeper Shaun MacDonald safely caught the ball close to his line as Argyle tried to get on the end of it.

Rendle then fired the ball in after breaking forward down the left for the away side but Amaechi could not quite make contact with the cross.

Newport had a good chance to extend their lead in the 32nd minute when Evans beat the Argyle offside trap and sprinted clear into the penalty area but his low shot was straight at Storer, who made the save.

A follow-up attempt from Ged Garner was blocked by the Pilgrims and then a long-range drive from Smith flew over the bar as Newport were denied a second goal.

There was a 39th minute yellow card for Watts after a late challenge on Thomas, who was down on the pitch for a while as he received treatment but was eventually able to resume playing.

Newport had another chance when defender Dan Sassi headed off target after a cross from Alfie Merritt on the left following a free-kick as it remained 1-0 to the hosts until the interval.

Tom Cleverley cannot have been pleased that Argyle, despite being such a much-changed side, did not have an attempt on goal in the first half.

The Pilgrims’ boss did not make any changes to his team at the interval and there was no immediate improvement from the Pilgrims in terms of their attacking output when the game resumed.

Argyle did have their first scoring chance in the 54th minute when Bakinson picked out Finn on the left and his cross found Campbell but he put the ball over the bar.

Newport then doubled their advantage in the 59th minute with a penalty from Bamba after a foul by Finn on Smith just inside the Argyle box

Bamba fired home with an initial spot kick only for referee Niall Smith to order it to be retaken because the Newport player had committed a double touch of the ball, but he also slotted home at the second attempt as well.

Before play resumed, Argyle made a triple substitution with Wes Harding, Irow and Pepple sent on for Ross, Finn and Watts respectively.

Irow had not been on the pitch for long when he clipped in a deep cross and Amaechi sent a header over the bar.

The same combination linked up shortly afterwards, this time when Irow played a low ball into the Newport box and Amaechi could not come up with a firm enough finish as MacDonald made an easy save.

There were two more Argyle changes in the 72nd minute when Bradley Ibrahim and Harvey White were sent on for Roberts and Rendle.

The Pilgrims then cut their deficit to one goal soon afterwards when Pepple capitalised on a slip by a Newport defender to run clear onto a pass from Amaechi and he sent a low shot past MacDonald.

The Pilgrims’ substitutions had brought more attacking purpose to their play, with Irow particularly lively, and they drew level in the 90th minute when Bakinson steered the ball home from close range after an Amaechi cross.

Argyle could have won the game in the sixth minute of added time when they were awarded a penalty after a foul on Pepple on Matty Jacob.

It was Pepple who stepped up to take it but MacDonald made a good save as he dived to his left to keep the score at 2-2 and send the tie into the penalty shoot-out.

ARGYLE: James Storer; Matty Sorinola, Mathias Ross (Wes Harding 60 mins), Jack MacKenzie, Jared Rendle (Harvey White 72 mins); Xavier Amaechi, Caleb Roberts (Bradley Ibrahim 72 mins), Tyreeq Bakinson, Tegan Finn (Oli Irow 60 mins); Seb Campbell, Caleb Watts (Bim Pepple 60 mins).

Substitutes (not used): Murphy Cooper, Ronan Curtis.

NEWPORT: Shaun MacDonald; Cameron Evans, Joe Thomas (Lee Jenkins h/t), Dan Sassi, Alfie Merritt; Cole Jarvis (Matty Jacob 78 mins), Matt Smith; Yahya Bamba (Harrison Biggins 84 mins), Aaron Lewis, Kieron Evans (Michael Adu-Poku 78 mins); Gerard Garner (Christian Doidge 82 mins).

Substitutes (not used): Jordan Wright, Matt Dibley-Dias.

REFEREE: Niall Smith

ATTENDANCE: 1,697 (451)

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