Plymouth Argyle continued their resurgence with a third successive win as they inflicted a first defeat of 2026 on League One leaders Cardiff City in a pulsating contest at Home Park.
Argyle scored three of the four goals in an astonishing six-minute spell of a whirlwind first half to lead their shellshocked opponents 3-1.
Despite having just 25% possession, Argyle were clinical on the break as Lorent Tolaj's fine finish and Bim Pepple's close-range effort put them 2-0 up.
Omari Kellyman responded instantly for Cardiff, only for Pepple to restore Plymouth's two-goal lead as he headed in from Wes Harding's cross.
Kellyman curled in a beautiful second for the visitors from the edge of the penalty area just before half-time, and the Bluebirds had chances to equalise after the break.
But Tolaj scored his second from the penalty spot after being pushed over by Calum Chambers, before Mathias Ross headed in Plymouth's fifth to emphatically end Cardiff's 12-match unbeaten run.
Plymouth move up to 10th in League One, three points adrift of the play-off places before Saturday's later kick-offs.
Cardiff's first defeat since December means they could have their four-point lead at the top reduced when second-place Lincoln City visit Mansfield Town at 15:00 GMT.
Analysis: Plymouth prosper after first-half frenzy
These teams were both relegated from the Championship last season but have experienced contrasting campaigns in the third tier.
Whereas Cardiff have spent most of the season at the summit as the division's top scorers and free-spirited entertainers, Plymouth were in the relegation zone as recently as last month.
The gulf between them was starkly illustrated when the Bluebirds won the reverse fixture 4-0 but, at Home Park, it was a different story.
In a frantic opening three minutes, Ollie Tanner and Chris Willock went close for Cardiff before Plymouth's Caleb Watts was denied by a Nathan Trott save from point-blank range.
That set the tone for the rest of the first half, with Argyle taking the lead by breaking swiftly before Tolaj curled in from the edge of the area.
Seconds later, Tanner hit the post for Cardiff, but Plymouth soon countered again and, after Joe Edwards was given too much space on the right, the Pilgrims' captain floated a cross for an unmarked Pepple to score.
Cardiff looked vulnerable but hit back from kick-off, Tanner pulling the ball back for Kellyman to find the bottom corner.
However, Plymouth were two up again less than a minute later as Pepple nodded in at the back post.
The hosts were making hay in the chaos, while their opponents were rattled.
There was a relative lull before Kellyman scored the pick of the five first-half goals, bending a brilliant left-footed shot into the top far corner from 20 yards.
Perry Ng, Alex Robertson and Kellyman all threatened as Cardiff pressed for an equaliser after the break, while Chambers had to stretch to keep out an effort from Plymouth substitute Matty Sorinola.
But when the Cardiff skipper was penalised for a push on Tolaj, the Argyle striker punished him with a powerfully struck spot-kick.
Ross' header added a final exclamation mark to a wild afternoon which prompted delirious celebrations from the home fans and a rare sinking feeling for their counterparts.
Plymouth Argyle: Hazard, Edwards, Ross, Mitchell, Harding, Boateng, Wiredu (Ibrahim 80’), Watts (Sorinola 46’), Curtis, Pepple (Dale 85’), Tolaj (Amaechi 85’). Subs Not Used: Ashby-Hammond, Mackenzie, Pleguezuelo.
Cardiff City: Trott, Ng (Kpakio 76’), Osho, Chambers, Bagan (Scanlon 88’), Robertson, Turnbull (R.Colwill 46’), J.Colwill (Robinson 62’), Tanner, Willock (Ashford 62’), Kellyman. Subs Not Used: Lawlor, Wintle.
