Argyle 3
Cundle 18
Hardie pen 68
Whittaker 90+1
Sutton United 1
Angol 50
Less than 24 hours after the arrival of Ian Foster as new Head Coach at Home Park, Argyle barged their way into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a competent 3-1 win over Sutton United.
Luke Cundle broke the deadlock for the Greens and it was seemingly all under control until Lee Angol levelled for the visitors early in the second period.
The Pilgrims regrouped, won a penalty midway through the second half and Ryan Hardie restored the lead. Victory was confirmed by a stoppage-time strike from Morgan Whittaker.
The first Argyle team selection of a new era saw six changes from the enthralling 3-3 draw with Watford on New Year’s Day. Teenager Freddie Issaka was given a starting berth in attack, with Joe Edwards, Callum Wright, Mickel Miller, Brendan Galloway and Cundle also coming into the team.
Embroiled in a tough start for survival in Sky Bet League Two, Sutton had to endure heavy Pilgrim pressure in the opening exchanges, with successive set-pieces peppering the visitors, alongside a charged down effort from Edwards.
The Greens continued to control matters on a crisp January afternoon at Home Park and the reward arrived on 18 minutes, but, while the goal was coming, it was very harsh on visiting custodian Dean Bouzanis.
Callum Wright, operating in that freedom of zone behind the vanguard, forced Bouzanis into a super block and it seemed Bouznis had done even better to thwart Cundle from the rebound, but the ball just squeezed over the line for an Argyle lead.
The Greens maintained their control of the afternoon in terms of possession and territory, but the final pass was just eluding the target. One such effort, a sumptuous attempt from Issaka, was inches away from finding the run of Hardie.
The lively Cundle had another shot deflected narrowly wide after energetic approach play from captain Edwards before Adam Randell tried his luck from distance, forcing a decent block from Bouzanis.
An efficient first 45 minutes ended with a Morgan Whittaker effort deflected wide but no question that Argyle would need to be wary of a Sutton response after the interval.
That threat turned into a painful reality five minutes after the restart, when Angol pounced on a long punt forward and measured a curling finish beyond the reach of Conor Hazard, setting Argyle a new conundrum for the second period.
Argyle immediately replied with a flowing move through the lines, culminating in a lovely effort from Whittaker that only just flashed wide, although the alarm bells remained poised at the other end, alert work from Brendan Galloway clearing a dangerous cross.
Bali Mumba and Jordan Houghton replaced Issaka and Callum Wright on the hour, and they were soon celebrating a restoration of the Argyle lead. Whittaker was brought down in the box and Hardie made no mistake from the spot.
Sutton switched around their personnel and turned to the bench but there was a renewed element of control in Argyle’s work. Edwards foraging forward for another deflected attempt on target.
There was one further reprieve, Craig Eastmond dragging a shot wide before Hardie and Edwards were withdrawn for Ben Waine and Kaine Kesler-Hayden. Lewis Gibson replaced Miller for the final knockings and the Greens had one more card to play.
Cundle, who had been a threat all afternoon, still had the energy for one more drive forward, fizzing a pass wide to Whittaker and he added to his impressive season tally with a deflected strike that looped past a stranded Bouzanis.
Argyle: 21 Conor Hazard; 6 Dan Scarr, 8 Joe Edwards (capt) (29 Kaine Kesler-Hayden 77), 9 Ryan Hardie (23 Ben Waine 77), 10 Morgan Whittaker, 11 Callum Wright (4 Jordan Houghton 58), 14 Mickel Miller (17 Lewis Gibson 84), 20 Adam Randell, 22 Brendan Galloway, 28 Luke Cundle, 35 Freddie Issaka (2 Bali Mumba 58). Substitutes (not used): 25 Callum Burton (gk), 5 Julio Pleguezuelo, 7 Matt Butcher, 15 Mustapha Bundu.
Booked: Edwards 64
Sutton United: 21 Dean Bouzanis; 4 Omar Sowumni, 5 Ben Goodliffe, 7 Josh Coley (19 Tope Fadahunsi 73), 10 Harry Beautyman (capt), 16 Craig Clay (8 Christian N'Guessan 64), 22 Joe Kizzi, 23 Ryan Jackson, 24 Robert Milsom, 26 Dominic Gape (15 Craig Eastmond 64), 33 Lee Angol (11 Omari Patrick 73). Substitutes (not used): 1 Jack Rose (gk), 25 Steve Arnold (gk), 14 Craig Dundas, 29 Hisham Kasimu.
Booked: Kizzi 34, Clay 60
Referee: Will Finnie
Attendance: 15,643 (378 away)