REPORT | ARGYLE 3 AFC WIMBLEDON 3 (4-3 on penalties)
Argyle 3
Cosgrove 62, 73, 76
Wimbledon 3
Hudlin 10, 18
Assal 45
In the wake of a sensational World Cup final and the drama of penalties, Argyle delivered their own night of 12-yard tension to book a quarter-final trip to Bristol Rovers in the Papa Johns Trophy.
The Greens recovered from a nightmare first period, where a double from Kyle Hudlin and an Ayoub Assal strike gave them a three-goal deficit, to force the game to penalties.
Sam Cosgrove struck a fabulous second-half hat-trick to set up the penalty drama and a top save from Callum Burton gave Bali Mumba the ultimate responsibility of converting the decisive spot-kick, and he took it with Messi-like confidence.
Argyle made the first attacking impression on a thrilling night, Ryan Hardie and Cosgrove working the chance beautifully for Caleb Roberts to fire in a low drive, well saved by Nathan Broome, and the rebound just eluded a lurking Finley Craske.
The Dons replied with the opening goal. A free-kick was shifted wide to Assal and he flashed over a cross from the left for Hudlin to plant a downward header beyond Callum Burton.
The Greens regrouped with a spell of controlled possession but the visitors caught Argyle for a second time, and in similar fashion. Courtney Senior delivered the cross from the right and the ball looped up for Hudlin to steer a confident volley into the top corner.
Argyle immediately came back with a lovely move, Brandon Pursall floating a diagonal pass to Roberts on the right and his low cross found the run of Matt Butcher, but the shot was scooped over from 15 yards.
Hudlin had a chance for the hat-trick, racing on to a long free-kick, but thankfully he misjudged the volley for a comfortable Burton save. However, it was another sign that Wimbledon were a side playing with understandable confidence.
The Argyle mountain entered Everest proportions on the brink of half-time, as Assal found space in the box to make it 3-0 to the visitors.
Manager Steven Schumacher made three changes at the interval, with Adam Randell, Nigel Lonwijk and Morgan Whittaker replacing Roberts, Pursall and Dan Scarr, and the first opening of the second period fell to Argyle, Cosgrove spearing a low shot gobbled up by Broome.
Alfie Bendle replied with a shot from distance that grazed the Pilgrim crossbar, as the Greens struggled to find the impetus to change the pattern of a frustrating night.
Argyle needed a spark and a delicious cross from Cosgrove picked out Whittaker, but he was unable to get sufficient impact to hit the target. A free-kick on the edge of the area presented the next opportunity and Randell found the target, with Cosgrove mopping up the rebound.
Game on with 30 minutes still to play and there was a sudden burst of zest in Argyle’s play, led by Randell passing the ball through the lines. Mumba was introduced for Craske in the next Pilgrim change and he took took less than a minute to clip over a cross for Hardie, but the header was glanced wide.
Cosgrove had a glorious chance to double his tally but, after controlling a bouncing cross on his chest, the final effort was lashed over.
Redemption was immediate. A fabulous cross from Whittaker was met by the head of Cosgrove and, while his initial effort was saved, the big striker forced the rebound over the line from close range.
A brilliant night for Cosgrove, who previously spent time on loan at Wimbledon, got even better when a slipped pass from Houghton found him in the right side of the penalty area and an assured low finish was too much for Broome.
Incredibly, Argyle had clawed back to level terms and the Greens were all over Wimbledon. Houghton fizzed a terrific pass wide for Jack Endacott and his deflected cross found the head of Cosgrove, who just nodded past the top corner.
Freddie issaka for Butcher was the final Argyle change and he soon set a pass for Whittaker to fizz a shot from the edge of the box, saved by Broome. On to penalties.
Penalty Shoot-Out
Wimbledon: Hudlin scored
Argyle: Hardie saved
Wimbledon: Towler scored
Argyle: Cosgrove scored
Wimbledon: Assal saved
Argyle: Houghton scored
Wimbledon: Fisher missed
Argyle: Whittaker scored
Wimbledon: Chislett scored
Argyle: Mumba scored
Argyle: 25 Callum Burton; 4 Jordan Houghton (capt), 6 Dan Scarr (21 Nigel Lonwijk H-T), 7 Matt Butcher (48 Freddie Issaka 86), 9 Ryan Hardie, 16 Sam Cosgrove, 36 Finley Craske (17 Bali Mumba 63), 37 Brandon Pursall (20 Adam Randell H-T), 42 Jack Endacott, 43 Oscar Halls, 49 Caleb Roberts (19 Morgan Whittaker H-T). Substitutes (not used): 1 Mike Cooper, 44 Will Jenkins Davies.
Booked: Halls 78, Cosgrove 86, Lonwijk 90
AFC Wimbledon: 13 Nathan Broome; 2 Chris Gunter, 4 Alex Woodyard (capt), 9 Josh Davison (29 David Fisher 73), 10 Ayoub Assal, 12 Ryley Towler, 18 Kyle Hudlin, 24 Alfie Bendle (6 George Marsh 78), 25 Courtney Senior (11 Ethan Chislett 73), 26 Jack Currie, 30 Paul Kalambayi. Substitutes (not used): 1 Nik Tzanev (gk), 33 Isaac Ogundere, 37 Paul Osew.
Booked: Woodyard 86
Attendance: 1,747 (56 away)
Referee: Samuel Barrott