Graham Carey admitted it was his most precious goal to date after his extra-time penalty for Plymouth Argyle secured a FA Cup Third Round trip to face Liverpool at Anfield at the expense of Newport County.
The 27-year-old, who scored two penalties on the same ground in the league earlier this season, stepped up for Plymouth’s second penalty of extra time and buried it with his left-foot.
It gave the Pilgrims a 1-0 victory after extra-time at Rodney Parade in their Second Round Replay after over 180 minutes of football had not produced a goal.
But that changed when Darren Jones conceded a 113th-minute penalty after striker Paul Garita had already missed an extra-time spot kick.
But it was all smiles at the final whistle for Liverpool-fan Carey who can now look forward to travelling to Anfield and playing in front of over 50,000 supporters.
“Being a Liverpool fan it is (his most precious goal), I think it’s going to be a great occasion,” he said.
“We knew it was going to be difficult tonight we knew it was going to be a long night it’s a hard place to come with the conditions and stuff but you can see what it means to the fans.
“We’ll enjoy the result and enjoy our day at Anfield.”
Craig Tanner had the first chance of the game after just four minutes but his close range header after Oscar Threlkeld’s cross was straight at Joe Day.
The hosts’ best chance of the first period fell to Marlon Jackson as he attempted to get to a cross from Jazzi Barnum-Bobb but was unable to force the ball past Luke McCormick.
McCormick was called again after 73 minutes as Josh O’Hanlon was slotted through on goal but the Argyle goalkeeper was out smartly to smother the chance.
With 86 minutes gone it was Day’s turn to pull off a great save as Garita’s cross was hammered towards goal by Graham Carey but the home goalkeeper parried the ball away.
Argyle had the chance to win it eight minutes into extra time when Myrie-Williams handled the ball in the area but Paul Garita’s spot kick hit the post.
But when David Goodwillie was brought down by Jones with the game five minutes away from penalties, Carey placed the ball into the corner to secure victory.
And Pilgrims’ boss Derek Adams said the result was just rewards for the Green Army who can start counting down to a trip to Anfield in January.
He said: “It’s good for the Green Army to go there, it’s been a good number of years since they’ve had a cup run and to go to Anfield, and for the players as well, that’s what it’s about the FA Cup.”
Newport County: 1 Joe Day, 2 Jazzi Barnum-Bobb, 4 Darren Jones, 17 Scot Bennett, 11 Jennison Myrie-Williams, 16 Josh Sheehan, 12 Ben Tozer, 6 Joss Labadie, 32 Finley Wood, 13 Marlon Jackson, 19 Rhys Healey
Substitutes: 15 Jordan Green for Wood 66, 34 Josh O’Hanlon for Jackson 66, 40 Abdoulaye Meite for Labadie 115
Substitutes not used: 3 Dan Butler, 8 Mark Randall, 14 Paul Bignot, 30 James Bittner,
Head coach: Graham Westley
Plymouth Argyle: 23 Luke McCormick, 2 Gary Miller, 4 Yann Songo’o, 15 Sonny Bradley, 18 Oscar Threlkeld, 10 Graham Carey, 24 David Fox, 6 Connor Smith, 14 Jake Jervis, 27 Craig Tanner, 8 Jordan Slew
Substitutes: 26 Paul Garita for Tanner 69, 7 David Goodwillie for Jervis 69,
Substitutes not used: 5 Nauris Bulvitis, 16 Ben Purrington, 19 Karleigh Osborne, 20 Louis Rooney, 21 Vincent Dorel
Head coach: Derek Adams
Goals: Graham Carey 113
Attendance: 5,121
