Plymouth Argyle produced a stunning upset by defeating Premier League side Brentford 1-0 in the third round of the FA Cup. The match, held at the Gtech Community Stadium, saw Morgan Whittaker score the only goal in the 84th minute, sending Plymouth's supporters into raptures. This victory ended Plymouth's 11-match winless streak and marked their first win over a top-flight club in over 40 years. Despite propping up the Championship table with just 20 points from 24 games, Plymouth's performance on Saturday was nothing short of remarkable.
Brentford, who were eliminated from the FA Cup in the third round for the third consecutive season, failed to find the back of the net despite the introduction of star forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa in the second half. Their head coach, Thomas Frank, expressed disappointment with his team's performance, acknowledging Plymouth's deserved victory.
"Congratulations to Plymouth, I think they deserved to win," said Thomas Frank.
Frank's tactical adjustments could not prevent Brentford's early exit from the competition. Meanwhile, Brentford's newly appointed permanent head coach, Miron Muslic, watched his team's defeat from the stands, observing the challenge ahead.
Plymouth's interim head coaches, Kevin Nancekivell and club captain Joe Edwards, stepped into their roles after the departure of Wayne Rooney on New Year's Eve. Nancekivell expressed pride and emotion following their unexpected triumph.
"It's been a tough period. When you lose a manager you have to hold the fort, which we've been asked to do. Joe has been excellent alongside me and I'm just pleased that we could give our supporters some cheer and a nice trip home," remarked Nancekivell.
The result was a testament to the resilience and determination shown by Plymouth, as they overcame both form challenges and the absence of a permanent head coach to achieve this historic win. The performance of Joe Edwards alongside Nancekivell did not go unnoticed, with Frank acknowledging their excellent collaboration in guiding Plymouth to victory.
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