Plymouth Argyle 3-1 Sutton United - Pilgrims squeeze into the FA Cup fourth round

Plymouth Argyle reached the fourth round of the FA Cup for the third time in four seasons as they saw off League Two Sutton United.

In front of their new head coach Ian Foster, who was appointed by the club on Friday, the Championship side needed second-half goals from Ryan Hardie and Morgan Whittaker to make sure of victory.

Argyle were comfortable and went in front early on in the first half through Luke Cundle but managerless Sutton, 53 league places below their opponents, levelled through Lee Angol five minutes into the second half.

However, Hardie's penalty and Whittaker's injury-time strike ended any hopes of the London club adding another scalp to their list of famous FA Cup upsets.

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Plymouth, 18th in the second tier, had made six changes from the thrilling 3-3 draw with Watford on New Year's Day and three of those combined in the opening goal.

Freddie Issaka was found in space on the left, he slipped the ball into Callum Wright whose shot was saved by Dean Bouzanis before Cundle put in the rebound.

The on-loan Wolves midfielder was twice close to grabbing a second before the break but they were stunned when Sutton, with the worst away record in the fourth tier and with Jason Goodliffe in interim charge, levelled.

Plymouth sloppily gave the ball away and it was launched forward towards Angol, who cut inside and fired in his first goal for 23 games and just his second of the season.

But the Pilgrims' lead was restored on 68 minutes after Whittaker was tripped inside the box by Josh Coley with Hardie converting from the spot for his ninth of the season.

And top scorer Whittaker wrapped things up when his deflected effort looped over Bouzanis for his sixth goal in his past six games.

Plymouth Argyle head coach Ian Foster told BBC Radio Devon:

"For the majority of the game, I was pleased.

"I don't think it was easy for the players for a new head coach to walk in the building as late as I did and they responded well.

"I just gave them a few messages this afternoon around the game, but Neil (Dewsnip) and Kevin (Nancekivell) prepared the team really well in my absence.

"But I just thought it was really important for me to not miss a wonderful opportunity to get on the touchline and be in and around the group today."

Sutton interim manager Jason Goodliffe told BBC Radio London:

"We spoke at half-time about having that little bit more belief and a bit more freedom.

"That culminated in some very, very good play and I was really pleased with the goal and at 1-1, I felt we could go on and win it.

"Unfortunately the penalty then came out of nothing and the third goal just ends it and I felt a little bit hard done by that it finished that way."