Soccer Football - FA Cup - Third Round - Brentford v Plymouth Argyle - GTech Community Stadium, London, Britain - January 11, 2025 Plymouth Argyle caretaker manager Kevin Nancekivell and Darko Gyabi celebrate after the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
(Reuters) - Plymouth Argyle caretaker manager Kevin Nancekivell said they can use Saturday's stunning 1-0 FA Cup third-round victory at Premier League club Brentford as a platform to climb off the bottom of the Championship and avoid relegation.
Morgan Whittaker's 82nd winner snapped an 11-match winless run in all competitions for the visitors, who parted ways with manager Wayne Rooney last month.
Plymouth prop up the second-tier Championship with 20 points from 25 matches but are only three points behind Portsmouth, who sit just above the relegation zone.
"This is what Plymouth Argyle is all about, it's built on spirit and resilience," Nancekivell told reporters.
"We've shown that in the last couple of games and the lads and the football club should take that going forward for the rest of the season.
"But if we put in performances like that, there's no reason why we can't accomplish the challenge of staying in the league.
"I'm pleased for the supporters who travelled up to watch us. They've not had a lot of joy watching us on the road this season and they can go home happy tonight."
Plymouth next host Oxford United in the league on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
