Northampton substitute Elliott List scored within seconds of his 75th-minute introduction as Town beat 10-man Plymouth 3-0 at Home Park.
Playmaker Jack Perkins was provider, crossing from the left for List to tap-in on the line.
Perkins also provided the cross for striker Tom Eaves to loop a header over Conor Hazard for the opener in the 58th minute.
Town made it 3-0 in the 80th minute as substitute Jordan Willis headed home from a cross from skipper Terry Taylor.
Northampton’s Ethan Wheatley came closest to opening the scoring with a 20-yard shot that beat Hazard and pinged back off the post in the 55th minute.
It was a warning sign as three minutes later Eaves headed Town ahead.
Argyle were reduced to 10 men when nine-goal top scorer Lorent Tolaj was shown a straight red card in the 65th minute for an off-the-ball incident.
The closest Plymouth came to scoring was in the sixth minute when Owen Dale’s corner was volleyed back across goal by Matthew Sorinola and Tolaj headed just wide.
