Plymouth Argyle high continues as they put five past in-form Millwall

Miron Muslic’s Plymouth backed up their FA Cup heroics by thrashing Millwall 5-1 and moving off the bottom of the Championship.

Ryan Hardie, who scored the winner in Sunday’s cup shock against Premier League leaders Liverpool, bagged a brace as Argyle ended Millwall’s five-match unbeaten run.

Joe Bryan’s sixth-minute own goal started the rout while Mustapha Bundu and Nikola Katic were also on target for the hosts.

Argyle boss Muslic was forced to make three changes to the side which beat Liverpool and earned a fifth-round trip to Manchester City.

Match Action

The changes did not seem to affect them as they swept into a 2-0 lead after 10 minutes.

The opener came when Callum Wright’s cross from the left was turned into his own goal by Millwall defender Bryan.

Four minutes later Victor Palsson’s throw-in from the right was initially headed clear by Mihailo Ivanovic but as home skipper Adam Randell went to head the ball, defender Casper De Norre fouled him and referee Jeremy Simpson pointed to the spot.

Hardie, who scored from the spot against Liverpool, made it three successful penalty conversions in three matches by thumping home past recalled Millwall number one Lukas Jensen

The in-form Lions roared back with Ivanovic’s header from a corner forcing Conor Hazard to tip the ball over the top corner of his goal.

Millwall record signing Camiel Neghli forced a brilliant one-handed save from Hazard after 18 minutes with a thumping 25-yard shot which sent the home keeper full stretch.

Hardie came close to doubling his tally in the 41st minute with a thumping strike from the edge of the box which flew just past the post following recalled Jordan Houghton’s defence-splitting pass.

Second Half

Argyle went 3-0 up in the 53rd minute when Palsson headed forward to Bundu 12 yards out on the right side of the penalty box and the newly converted striker spun on the ball, losing marker Jake Cooper, before firing low and hard into the far corner.

Three minutes later, Hardie claimed his fifth goal in three games.

The Scottish striker latched on to a back pass from George Saville and sped past Cooper before side-footing home past Jensen again into the far corner.

Millwall grabbed a consolation in the 80th minute when Bryan converted a far post cross from substitute Femi Azeez with a first-time finish from close range.

Sunday’s player of the match Katic added gloss to Argyle’s win with a fifth goal in the 86th minute, scooping the ball in, on the floor, during a goalmouth scramble following a corner from the left by substitute Rami Al Hajj.

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