LAST UPDATE | 11 Jan
MORGAN WHITTAKER’S STUNNING late goal helped Championship strugglers Plymouth pull off a major FA Cup upset with a 1-0 victory at Premier League Brentford.
Thomas Frank’s side were not at the races at the Gtech Community Stadium prior to Whittaker’s solo 82nd-minute effort which sent Argyle, who had new manager Miron Muslic watching from the stands, into the fourth round.
Plymouth’s leaky backline, which has conceded 53 league goals this season, was not on display in west London as valiant defending from the likes of Brendan Galloway helped caretaker boss Kevin Nancekivell secure a memorable victory.
Despite a positive showing in the early stages from the visitors, Brentford playmaker Fabio Carvalho let fly from the edge of the area and his effort, which looked destined for the top left-hand corner, was tipped out for a corner by goalkeeper Conor Hazard.
Plymouth, bottom of the table in the second tier, went close in the 21st minute. Bali Mumba drove down the flank, combined with winger Callum Wright, who cut in and saw a shot from a tight angle parried away by Hakon Valdimarsson.
Rico Henry started his first match since returning from a long-term knee injury he suffered in September 2023, and the left-back was in the thick of the action towards the back end of the first half with multiple dangerous sprints in the final third.
Frank turned to the bench in the form of 13-goal forward Bryan Mbeumo after the break, but the decision was yet to turn the tide in the hosts’ favour as Argyle defender Matthew Sorinola headed over unmarked at the back post.
Yoane Wissa also came on as Brentford looked for a winner, but Frank’s rotations failed to pay dividends as they struggled to create anything of note against the worst defence in the Championship.
Brentford’s poor showing was eventually punished eight minutes from time when Whittaker, who was bright all game, produced a wonderful goal.
The forward retrieved the ball on the right, easily jinked past defenders before producing a driven finish into the bottom left corner in front of the travelling supporters to end Plymouth’s 11-game winless run.
Meanwhile, Chelsea were made to wait for the floodgates to open as League Two Morecambe put up dogged resistance before going down 5-0 in the FA Cup third round at Stamford Bridge.
There were periods in the first half when the 87 places separating these sides in the pyramid could easily be forgotten, the team currently 23rd in League Two leaving Enzo Maresca’s Champions League chasers puzzling over how they would pick their way through to round four.
That two of the five goals were blasted in from outside the penalty area by reserve defender Tosin Adarabioyo gave a sense of how short on inspiration Chelsea were for much of this match, though the 27-year-old deserved credit for showing initiative to break the deadlock late in the first half as the crowd grew nervous.
The natural order soon took over. Christopher Nkunku scored to make it 2-0 having earlier missed a penalty, and there were two goals also for Joao Felix in a rare start, but Morecambe departed knowing they had made Chelsea sweat.
Nottingham Forest made it seven wins in a row in all competitions for the first time in 19 years after beating managerless Luton 2-0 to progress to the fourth round.
Forest added to their six successive Premier League victories with a comfortable success over the Championship side thanks to goals from Ryan Yates and Ramon Sosa.
It meant they matched the run Colin Calderwood’s side posted in October and November 2006 as the feelgood factor continues at the City Ground.
They easily put themselves in the hat for Sunday’s fourth-round draw and they can now turn their attention to Tuesday’s crunch Premier League clash with Liverpool, which could determine whether Forest really are in a title race.
Luton were playing their first game since Rob Edwards’ departure in midweek and never really threatened victory.
With Tuesday’s game in mind, Nuno Espirito Santo made 11 changes but despite the disruption, Forest were quick to find their groove and knocked on the door for an early opener.
The breakthrough eventually came in the 40th minute when Yates planted a header into the bottom corner, converting Sosa’s excellent cross.
The second came in the 67th minute when Jota broke down the right and squared for Sosa to sweep home from close range.
That proved enough for Forest as they saw it out comfortably, with all eyes now turning to the visit of Arne Slot’s men.
Made to wait? They were 2 up after 50 minutes