The Pilgrims conceded two goals in the opening five minutes but fought back to draw level at 2-2 before eventually being beaten 4-2
Tyreeq Bakinson of Plymouth Argyle challenges for the aerial ball with Caleb Yirenkyi of Coventry City during the Carabao Cup second round match between Plymouth Argyle and Coventry City at Home Park, Plymouth on 25 August 2026 (Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK)
Tyreeq Bakinson of Plymouth Argyle challenges for the aerial ball with Caleb Yirenkyi of Coventry City during the Carabao Cup second round match between Plymouth Argyle and Coventry City at Home Park, Plymouth on 25 August 2026 (Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK)
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Plymouth Argyle eventually found the attacking firepower of Premier League side Coventry City too much for them to overcome as they were beaten 4-2 in their Carabao Cup second round tie at Home Park.
Tom Cleverley’s Pilgrims could take some satisfaction from the match though because they showed good character to recover from conceding two goals in the opening five minutes to draw level at 2-2 early in the second half.
However, Coventry were able to come up with two unanswered goals over the rest of the second half as they booked their place in the third round of the competition.
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A hugely entertaining tie began with Taiwo Awoniyi and Jack Rudoni putting Coventry 2-0 up in no time at all but 20-year-old left winger Oliver Irow, on his Argyle debut after signing on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, replied with a fine finish in the 21st minute.
Xavier Amaechi, a half-time substitute for the Pilgrims, equalised in the 54th minute and at that moment as the Green Army celebrated wildly a cup upset seemed possible.
However, Ephron Mason-Clark restored Coventry’s advantage in the 67th minute with a close range tap-in before Victor Torp fired home a penalty to seal their win, but it had been far from straightforward for the Sky Blues.
There were Argyle debuts for three players with goalkeeper James Storer, under-18s captain Joe Mwaro and Irow all starting the second round tie.
The Pilgrims’ other new recruit, midfielder Tyreeq Bakinson, was also in the side to take on Coventry as he began the second loan spell of his career with the club.
Bakinson, signed from fellow League One side Leyton Orient, and Irow both had only one training session with their new Argyle team-mates to prepare for the match.
Bakinson was also on loan to the Pilgrims in the Covid-shortened 2019/20 season, with his last appearance coming in a 3-0 win against Macclesfield Town in League Two on March 7, 2020.
Joe Mwaro of Plymouth Argyle during the Carabao Cup 2nd round match between Plymouth Argyle and Coventry City on 25th August 2026, Home Park, Plymouth, Devon - Photo: Dave Rowntree/PPAUK(Image: Dave Rowntree/PPAUK)
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More than seven years later, the midfielder was part of seven changes to the side from the 1-1 League One draw at Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.
In addition to Storer, 17-year-old Mwaro, Irow and Bakinson, also coming into the Argyle side were Caleb Watts, Bradley Ibrahim and Matty Sorinola.
The four players who retained their places in the starting line-up were defenders Wes Harding and Mathias Ross, midfielder Harvey White and striker Will Evans.
Coventry boss Frank Lampard made nine changes to his side from the 3-0 Premier League season-opening defeat at champions Arsenal last Arsenal.
Defender Bobby Thomas and midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi were the only two players to retain their places, but it was still a strong Sky Blues’ side featuring high-profile recent recruits Gustavo Hamer and Awoniyi.
It did not take Awoniyi long to open the scoring for the Premier League visitors as he ran onto a clever flick from Caleb Yirenkyi and flicked the ball past the advancing Storer in only the third minute.
Coventry doubled their advantage less than a couple of minutes later as Awoniyi played the ball forward for Rudoni and he confidently placed his shot into the net.
Storer had conceded two quickfire goals at the start of his Argyle debut but on both occasions he was beaten by clinical finishes from one-on-one situations.
The first yellow card of the match went to Coventry right-back Joel Latibeaudiere who brought down Irow after the 20-year-old Pilgrims’ debutant had made a good break down the left touchline.
Sorinola took the resulting free-kick and his cross into the box was a good one but it was headed wide by Ross from a central position.
James Storer, goalkeeper of Plymouth Argyle, saves during the Carabao Cup second round match between Plymouth Argyle and Coventry City at Home Park, Plymouth on 25 August 2026 (Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK)
James Storer, goalkeeper of Plymouth Argyle, saves during the Carabao Cup second round match between Plymouth Argyle and Coventry City at Home Park, Plymouth on 25 August 2026 (Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK)
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That was the same outcome when Latibeaudiere swept the ball into the Argyle penalty area and Jake Bidwell leapt highest but could not direct his header on target.
The Pilgrims needed a lift after their torrid start to the cup tie and they got it in the 20th minute when Irow marked his debut with a well-taken goal.
Irow broke clear down the left after he was picked out by Harvey White and surged into the Coventry box before cutting inside Latibeaudiere and firing a low shot across ‘keeper Daniel Bentley into the corner of the net.
City should have restored their two-goal lead in the 26th minute as Latibeaudiere’s cross from the right went over the head of Harding and reached Awoniyi, who headed wide of Storer’s right post from only six yards out.
Argyle then went close to drawing level just after the half-hour mark when White’s low left-foot shot was spilled by Bentley and Evans was first to the ball but his follow-up attempt deflected off an outstretched leg of the Coventry ‘keeper and onto his near post.
Soon afterwards, White volleyed wide from outside the Coventry penalty area following a corner and Mwaro then sent a shot from distance flying into the Barn Park End as the Pilgrims grew into the game.
The chances kept on coming for Argyle towards the end of the first half as Bakinson fired wide from 25 yards after a headed clearance from Bidwell and then Irow, who was making a very positive impact on his debut, sent a shot from a tight angle into the side netting.
So although the Pilgrims trailed at the break it had still been an excellent response from Argyle after conceding twice in the opening five minutes.
Amaechi was a half-time substitute for Watts, who had made his first start of the season and took up the same position on the right of midfield in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
GOAL CELEBRATIONS for Xavier Amaechi of Plymouth Argyle 2-2 during the Carabao Cup 2nd round match between Plymouth Argyle and Coventry City on 25th August 2026, Home Park, Plymouth, Devon - Photo: Dave Rowntree/PPAUK(Image: Dave Rowntree/PPAUK)
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It continued to be a very competitive cup tie, with Rudoni shooting just wide for Coventry after the ball was played inside to him by Awoniyi before Argyle drew level at 2-2 in the 54th minute.
The goal came when Amaechi pressed Coventry captain Liam Kitching inside his own half and won the ball off him before racing clear and shooting low past Bentley for his second goal of the campaign as Home Park exploded into noise.
A triple Argyle substitution soon followed with Tegan Finn, Caleb Roberts and Bim Pepple sent on for Irow - who had a very encouraging derby, White and Evans respectively.
Finn had not been on the pitch for long when he tested out Bentley with a low cross-shot which the Coventry ‘keeper safely held onto before City’s Tatsuhiro Sakamoto volleyed over the bar at the other end of the pitch after a cross from Mason-Clark.
Coventry then regained the lead in the 67th minute as a cross from Sakamoto was cut back from beyond the far post by Victor Torp and Mason-Clark tapped the ball into the net from almost on the line.
Goal celebrations for Victor Torp of Coventry City beating James Storer, Goalkeeper of Plymouth Argyle from the penalty spot during the Carabao Cup 2nd round match between Plymouth Argyle and Coventry City at Home Park, Plymouth on 25 August 2026 (Photo: Phil Mingo/PPAUK)(Image: Phil Mingo/PPAUK)
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Argyle club captain Joe Edwards then made his first appearance of the season for Argyle after a summer knee procedure when he replaced Bakinson in the 74th minute.
Coventry then made sure of victory with a 78th minute penalty which was sent high into the net by Torp after Edwards had fouled Brandon Thomas-Asante as he went to make a clearance inside the box.
Argyle should have been awarded a penalty of their own in the 88th minute when Pepple was blatantly pulled down inside the Coventry box but referee Elliott Swallow allowed play to continue.
Thomas-Asante blasted a shot over the bar in added time as Argyle’s involvement in the Carabao Cup for another season came to an end.
ARGYLE: James Storer; Joe Mwaro, Wes Harding, Matthias Ross, Matty Sorinola; Tyreeq Bakinson (Joe Edwards 74 mins), Harvey White (Caleb Roberts 59 mins), Caleb Watts (Xavier Amaechi h/t), Bradley Ibrahim, Oliver Irow (Tegan Finn 59 mins); Will Evans (Bim Pepple 59 mins).
Substitutes (not used): Murphy Cooper, Julio Pleguezuelo, Ronan Curtis, Alex Hartridge.
COVENTRY: Daniel Bentley; Joel Latibeaudiere, Bobby Thomas (Aurele Amenda h/t), Liam Kitching, Jake Bidwell; Victor Torp, Caleb Yirenkyi (Josh Eccles 70 mins); Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Jack Rudoni (Ephron Mason-Clark 62 mins), Gustavo Hamer (Brandon Thomas-Asante 70 mins); Taiwo Awoniyi (Sidiki Cherif 70 mins).
Substitutes (not used): Ben Wilson, Matt Grimes, Loum Tchaouna, Milan van Ewijk.
REFEREE: Elliott Swallow
ATTENDANCE: 14,210 (2,244)
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