Argyle 0 Luton 3: Match report

FOR the second consecutive season, Argyle's Sky Bet League Two campaign began with a win to an away side. Unfortunately for Derek Adams and his team, this time they were playing at home.

Last year, Argyle saw off an early AFC Wimbledon flourish to win their opening game by two goals, and this year's opener had echoes of that day, except the Pilgrims were the ones on the receiving end, and conceded three times. After a bright start, Argyle lost their lustre, and second half goals by Luton strike duo Danny Hylton and Jack Marriott had given the traveling Hatters the opening day points long before Jonathan Smith's late third wrapped things up.

For the third consecutive season, Luton won in PL2, keeping a clean sheet. Following 1-0 wins over the last two seasons, this win gave Luton a comfortable 5-0 aggregate in the games since January 2015. In fact, the last Argyle player to score at Home Park was Bojan Djordjic.

Opening days are all about firsts, but this one in particular seemed more full of them that usual. Not only was this the first time Argyle were in meaningful action since the disappointment of Wembley 68 previous, but a first Argyle outing for seven brand new players. For one - David Ijaha - it was his first professional start. For another of the side - Oscar Threlkeld - it was his first game as a permanent Pilgrim, having signed a deal in the summer to make Plymouth his base, and not a temporary billet.

Derek Adams' first choice back five was reasonably easy to call - new captain Luke McCormick behind a back four of Gary Miller, Yann Songo'o, Sonny Bradley and Gary Sawyer - but further forward, the selections were harder to call. Adams' choice in the end was to play Threlkeld as the shield in front of the defence, Graham Carey just behind the attack, with David Ijaha and Ryan Donaldson in between. The front two of David Goodwillie and Jimmy Spencer came into the game having scored 16 goals between them in pre-season.

The Luton side featured some familiar names. Former Argyle scholar, goalkeeper Christian Walton started the game for the Hatters, having had a loan spell at Home Park last season, while another former Academy man Isaac Vassell shared bench space with Olly Lee, a midfield loanee two season back.

Before Luton kicked off the match - the first kick-off at Home Park under the new kick-off rules - we had a delayed start. Alan Sheeran, on the team-sheet as the Luton captain, ceded his armband before even calling the toss of a coin. An apparent injury ended Sheehan's afternoon before it had begun. Scott Cuthbert took his place - and his armband.

Cuthbert slotted in at centre-back, and it soon transpired that Luton's line-up mirrored Argyle's diamond-like midfield. That said, it was the Pilgrims who made the far livelier start to the game. The only real chance created was an acrobatic overhead kick by Goodwillie that had Walton beaten but missed the post, but Luton were having to defend their box from corners, free-kicks and other incursions.

Luton's first real sign of activity came around the midway mark of the half, when Johnny Mullins, formerly of Oxford United, found a good position, but headed a ball in such a way that at his old home of the Kassam it would have bounced down towards Pets at Home and the bingo hall.

Jack Marriott then had an effort that he merely glanced, but a deflection off of Yann Songo'o almost diverted the ball past McCormick, who had to be on his toes to maintain the deadlock.

The game was not without its share of crunching - yet fair - tackles, often involving Threlkeld or Songo'o, but little followed in the way of such dynamic action in either goalmouth. The half concluded with both sides having a crack from a direct free-kick. Carey's beat both wall and goalkeeper but found the side netting on the wrong side, while for Luton McGeehan found only the defensive wall.