Premier League new boys Coventry survived an EFL Cup second-round scare at League One Plymouth before easing through 4-2 at Home Park.

City had showed their class by racing into a 2-0 lead within five minutes courtesy of goals from Taiwo Awoniyi and Jack Rudoni but Argyle fought back to level nine minutes into the second half thanks to debutant Danny Irow and Xavier Amaechi.

Second-half substitute Ephron Mason-Clark scored City's third goal within five minutes of his 62nd-minute introduction before Victor Torp wrapped things up with a 78th-minute penalty.

Awoniyi fired City ahead on three minutes, picking his spot after a brilliant flick-on by Caleb Yirenkyi.

• How the teams lined up | Match stats
• Latest news and rumours: Coventry | Watch FREE PL highlights
• Got Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱
• Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream Premier League games with no contract📺

Yirenkyi's sublime pass on the spin from skipper Liam Kitching's through ball set striker Awoniyi on his way to goal and he had time to pick his spot to beat home goalkeeper James Storer with a side foot finish.

Within two minutes City increased their lead following a lightning break down the right. Awoniyi set Rudoni racing on his way to goal and he made no mistake, again beating Storer with a clinical finish, this time from the edge of the box.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Jake Bidwell came close to making it 3-0 on the 18th minute, heading just past the post from Joel Latibeaudiere's pinpoint cross to the far post.

Argyle responded in the 21st minute through Irow, who cut in from the left and beat Latibeaudiere, before sending a low shot past City keeper Daniel Bentley into the far corner.

Midfielder Harvey White had sent Irow - who has just joined Plymouth on loan from Tottenham - away down the left with a superb pass from his own half after spotting the winger out wide.

The unmarked Awoniyi could have doubled his tally on 27 minutes but headed wide from six yards from Latibeaudiere's deep cross.

Striker Will Evans' effort flew off the foot of Bentley and on to a post in the 31st minute after the keeper had failed to hold White's long-range effort.

Argyle restored parity on 54 minutes when half-time sub Amaechi won the ball from City defender Kitching and raced into the box before beating Bentley with a thumping low drive into the corner.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto volleyed just over from Mason-Clark's cross in the 65th minute before the latter restored City's lead in the 67th minute from close range, turning in Torp's thumping cross.

Torp gave Coventry some breathing space by converting a penalty following a foul by sub Joe Edwards on Brandon Thomas-Asante, who could have increased City's lead in stoppage time but hammered his volley over from the edge of the six-yard box.

The managers...

Plymouth's Tom Cleverley:

"It was an entertaining cup tie. It was never in our plan to conceded two goals in the first four minutes.

"We showed a lot of resilience in pre-season, defensive records are what you can build results on so we need to be strong defensively.

"The reaction to that, losing two goals so early, was excellent. I couldn't be happier with the players.

"I thought all four debutants were good. Oli Irow gives us something different. He wants to take players on, good pace and he's direct.

"I thought Tyreeq Bakinson look assured and Joe Mwaro was excellent on his debut. It's a night he will never forget against top opposition and James Storer in goal.

"Then you bring on Xavier Amaechi and he looked sharp, motivated. There were a lot of good performances out there.

"This is what you want from cup ties, I have got a healthy headache ahead of Saturday's league game against Bradford.

"We have lost a game which I never want to do but we are in a healthier place. I thought as a team we showed more personality. We took the hand brake off."

Coventry's Frank Lampard:

"You have always got to enjoy a win but at this point it is also looking at performance and individual and collective performances.

"We made a lot of changes and so for me it's good to have a look at players that we didn't start at the weekend (Friday) and are pushing for places.

"I expected it to be difficult, it's not an easy place to come. It was a great start to the game, two really good goals, high quality goals.

"Exactly what we want running through back lines and just showing good capacity to run and good combination stuff as well.

"Maybe we relaxed or something but we didn't put our foot down. When you get teams in that situation you should go and put your foot properly down and we didn't.

"In an early round in the cup it can happen. Big mistakes for the goals, we must be honest about that, and then a good reaction to win the game pretty well.

"Ephron is a big player for us so it was good to see him looking strong. He wants to get better all the time.

"But of course a win is a big deal because it's a nice feeling to take back on the bus for four hours."

Play Super 6!

Play Super 6 for a chance to win £250k! Enter for free.