Plymouth Argyle moved into the quarter-finals of the Vertu Trophy after beating Bristol Rovers 4-2 in a thrilling round of 16 tie at the Memorial Stadium.
Backed by the support of 945 members of the travelling Green Army in a crowd of 2,548, the Pilgrims opened the scoring in the second minute with a goal from Caleb Watts.
However, Rovers hit back to lead 2-1 by the break and Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley was also sent-off just before half-time after receiving two yellow cards from referee Andrew Humphries in a matter of seconds.
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Cleverley was unhappy over a decision to overturn the award of a free-kick to Argyle after Humphries had initially been ready to show a yellow card to Rovers defender Alfie Kilgour after he challenged Lorent Tolaj for the ball.
Humphries changed his mind after consulting with his assistant referee a few yards away and Cleverley ended up watching the second half on a live stream from the away dressing room.
Argyle made a blistering start when the second period began with goals from half-time substitute Brendan Galloway and Tolaj to put them 3-2 up by the 49th minute.
Luje Thomas put Rovers level at 3-3 just after the hour mark before Argyle substitute Bim Pepple grabbed the winning goal in the fourth minute of added time.
Scroll below for all the updates from Chris Errington at the Memorial Stadium:
21:01 - Full-time: Bristol Rovers 3 Argyle 4
Argyle move into the quarter-finals of the Vertu Trophy after a hugely eventful round of 16 tie.
20:57 - Pepple scores for Argyle
Argyle take a 4-3 lead in the fourth minute of added time. Ronan Curtis has his third assist of the second half as he breaks down the right and outs in an excellent cross from which Bim Pepple slots home.
20:53 - Pepple off target
Joe Ralls curls a free-kick into the Rovers penalty area and Bim Pepple gets in a header but he cannot get it on goal.
We are into six minutes of added time.
20:45 - Paterson on for Argyle
Forner Bristol City player Jamie Paterson is an 82nd minute substitute for Xavier Amaechi.
At the same time, Ellis Harrison ansd Kofi Balmer are sent on by Rovers for Luke Thomas and Joel Senior.
20:43 - Tolaj still going strong
Lorent Tolaj has been a real handful for the Rovers defence all game. His latest break forward takes him into the penalty area but he tries to cut back onto his favoured left foot he is well tackled by Luke Thomas.
20:38 - Rovers first substitution
Ryan De Havilland is on for Isaac Hutchinson in the 75th minute.
20:35 - Argyle's third change
Joe Ralls is on as a 72nd minute Argyle substitute for Brendan Wiredu. I beklieve it is the first time the midfielder has ever played in the EFL Trophy.
20:31 - Good save from Ashby-Hammond
Jack Soparkes flights a free-kick into the Argyle penalty area and Tom Lockyer's close range header is parried away by Luca Ashby-Hammond.
20:24 - Rovers equalise
It is 3-3 in the 61st minute. Argyle are not awarded a free-kick after what looked like a foul on Brendan Galloway inside the box and Luke Thomas fires home a left-foot shot.
20:22 - Pepple on for Argyle
Bim Pepple is on as a 59th minute Argyle substitute for Caleb Watts.
20:13 - Tolaj puts Argyle 3-2 ahead
Argyle are back ahead in the 49th minuite as a cross from Ronan Curtis is finished off by Lorent Tolaj for his 15th Pilgrims' goal of the season, and the fourth in the Vertu Trophy.
That is two assists for debutant Curtis in the first four minutes of the second half.
20:10 - Argyle level it up
Argyle draw level at 2-2 as a 46th minute corner from Ronan Curtis is finished off at the far post by half-time substitute Brendan Galloway.
20:08 - Tonight's attendance
The criowd at the Memorial Stadium is 2,548 and includes 945 Argyle supporters.
20:07 - The second half is underway
Argyle trail 2-1 as the action resumes. Brendan Galloway is on as a half-time substitute for Argyle as he replaces Matty Sorinola at left-back.
19:52 - Half-time: Bristol Rovers 2 Argyle 1
As soon as the free-kick is taken by Rovers goalkeeper Luke Southwood following that contentious refereeing decision, Alex Chilowicz blows for half-time.
19:51 - Cleverley sent-off
Lorent Tolaj is briught down by Rovers captain Alfie Kilgour and referee Alex Chilowicz is about to show yellow card, but then consults with his assistant referee and gives the home side a free-kick instead - I m not sure whether it was for offside or Tolaj had fouled Kilgour first.
Tiom Cleverley is clearly not happy with the decision and it leads to a yellow card followed just a fw seconds later by a second red card of the season for the Argyle head coach.
19:48 - Edwards on the break
Joe Edwards tries a speculative long range shot for Argyle but it is easily dealt with by Luke Southwood.
19:45 - Added time
Four extra mnutes being played at the end of the first half.
19:41 - Rovers take the lead
Rovers are ahead in the 39th minute. Matty Sorinola is tackled inside the hosts' half, close to the touchline, and the Pirates launch an immediate attack. Kamil Conteh plays the ball inside to Fabrizio Cavegn, whoi checks back and sends a low right-foot shot past Luca Ashby-Hammond.
19:34 - Let-off for Argyle
Ronan Curtis loses the ball in a very dangerous defensive position but Rovers do not make the most of the opportunity to create a chance as they are flagged offside.
19:22 - Rovers equalise
It is 1-1 in the 21st minute as Fabrizio Cavegn breaks down the Rovers left and puts in a superb low cross which is tucked away at the back post by Shaq Forde.
19:17 - Two more Argyle chances
Lorent Tolaj has a shot on the turn blocked behind for a corner by Alfie Kilgour and moments later a looping header from Brendan Wiredu is easily caught by goalkeeper Luke Southwood.
19:13 - Sparkes go close
Another good break forward from Rovers left-back Jack Sparkes and he sends a low shot just wide of the far post.
19:13 - Tolaj chance
Argyle had a decent chance when Xavier Amaechi curled a free-kick into the Rovers penalty area but the ball hit Lorent Tolaj on his shouider rather than his head and went wide of the target.
19:04 - Argyle ahead
Argyle get the opening goal of the game in just the second mniute. Lorent Tolaj gets on the ball inside the Rovers box and plays it inside to Xavier Amaechi, whose shot is miscued but goes straight to Caleb Watts, who slots home. Rovers thought Watts should hve been flagged for offside.
19:00 - Kick-Off
We are underway at the Memorial Stadium. Argyle are playing away from the end where the travelling Green Army are watching from.
18:55 - The teams are out
Joe Edwards leads out Argyle, who are wearing their black away kit. Rovers are captained by defender Alfie Kilgour.
18:52 - The Green Army at Bristol Rovers
The Green Army at Bristol Rovers #pafc pic.twitter.com/0Bfu3t4YZz
— Chris Errington (@ChrisErrington1) January 13, 2026
18:51 - The teams
ARGYLE: Luca Ashby-Hammond; Joe Edwards, Mathias Ross, Alex Mitchell, Matty Sorinola; Xavier Amaechi, Malachi Boateng, Brendan Wiredu, Ronan Curtis; Caleb Watts, Lorent Tolaj.
Substitutes: Conor Hazard, Kornel Szucs, Jamie Paterson, Brendan Galloway, Bim Pepple, Joe Ralls, Tegan Finn.
BRISTOL ROVERS: Luke Southwood; Joel Senior, Taylor Moore, Alfie Kilgour, Jack Sparkes; Kamil Conteh, Tom Lockyer, Isaac Hutchinson; Shaq Forde, Fabrizio Cavegn, Luke Thomas.
Substitutes: Brad Young, Clinton Mola, Ryan De Havilland, Kofi Balmer, Ellis Harrison.
18:44 - The referee
Alex Chilowicz has shown 62 yellow cards and sent-off two players in 19 games, One of those matches was Argyle's 2-0 League One defeat away to Exeter City in late October.