PLYMOUTH Argyle won the Devon St Luke’s Challenge Cup by beating Bideford 5-4 on penalties in a thrilling cup final at Coach Road.
The two teams could not be separated after 90 minutes with the game finishing 4-4.
But the Pilgrims edged the penalty shoot-out with Jason Banton scoring the decisive spot-kick after Adam Copp had missed for Bideford.
In a memorable match played in wet weather, Argyle took the lead in the 14th minute when man-of-the-match Ryan Lane gave Bideford goalkeeper Josh Colwill no chance with a powerful volley.
But straight from the restart Bideford equalised courtesy of Sean Dowing, who hammered home a great cross from Lloyd Gardner.
Ben Steer put the Greens back in front on 35 minutes from a Lane corner.
But just like before, Bideford went right up the other end from the restart and levelled, this time through Stephen Reed.
It was a cracking first half but the second half did not disappoint either.
Bideford went ahead for the first time in the 69th minute when Kevin Squire fired home a penalty after Downing had been brought down.
Argyle followed their opponents’ example and equalised straight away, with Steer making it 3-3.
Plymouth thought they had won the match when Ben Purrington fired into the net to make it 4-3 in the 83rd minute.
However, in the last minute of injury-time Danny Tapp headed home a free-kick to take the match to penalties.
Tyler Harvey, Ollie Norburn, Purrington, Steer and Banton scored from the spot for the Greens, with only Lane missing. Copp and Downing missed for Bideford.