Plymouth Argyle 1 Stockport County 3 ( Football League 1 ) Saturday 15 August 2026
Jimmy Mc Nulty`s freshly minted County side gave their supporters grounds for considerable optimism, coming away from a difficult first fixture of the season with a heartening 3-1 win against Tom Cleverley`s much fancied Plymouth Argyle outfit at a brutally roasted Home Park today.
The goals were shared around Jimmy Mac`s rejuvenated County side- Jack Diamond and Kyle Wootton netting before the break with Ryan Glover adding a top quality third in the second half.
It is fair to say that after the third went in, County became less of an offensive force – instead looking to defend, their situation not greatly improved by the raft of personnel changes that followed- which were the prelude to prolonged periods of attacking play from County`s opponents.
In that regard, Argyle did not look a patch on the side that ran us ragged in the same fixture last year- yes, they nicked a goal ,but really never looked likely to make headway against County`s resolute defending.
In the end, despite shed loads of pressure from the Devonian side the team from Cheshire took the honours and rightly so too!
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There was a large County presence within an impressive crowd of over 16000 inside Home Park at 3 o`clock, and that County presence was into its much-practised routines early doors exhibiting max support for the blues, who somewhat disconcertingly had turned out in that gawdy orange outfit currently being sold enthusiastically to County Supporters by the Club.
Today`s County line up had Ben Osborne in at LWB and slightly puzzlingly, Ryan Glover at RWB – but my puzzlement became less and less as the game progressed and Glover showed an even better command of what is necessary in important situations on the right than he had on the other flank.
County were into their impressive passing routines early, but the 4th minute saw it rudely interrupted as Matty Sorinola saw Ollie Whatmuff push his cross for a corner that Glover and other ushered out of imminent danger.
It was time for a reply from County, and it came via Wood but somehow his shot stayed out as he ran clear.
Then Glover and Bate leant a hand- the latter doing brilliantly to send Diamond clear. It all seemed to happen in slow-mo -the home keeper Murphy Cooper ( legs in treacle ) Diamond`s progress slow and the shot mirroring this aspect drifting slowly wide of the keeper into the net.
County`s support went AS in response – almost raising the roof of the away end as a repeat from Bate saw Wood go close to adding a second County goal- the same player ending much County pressure by heading the ball over the bar disappointingly.
Curtis did usher a twitch of the Argyle corpse on 24 minutes, but his effort did not trouble Whatmuff, who was to gain more friends today with another confident showing.
And just a minute later County had doubled their advantage as Wootton won the race to add a finish to Diamond`s fine approach play, forcing the ball home giving County a 2-0 lead.
Argyle came back at County after the second goal went in, Kyron Gordon policing the dangerous Ben Pepple out of harms way as he broke clear.
That was good work by County, but Ethan Pye lost a tussle with Malachi Boeteng whose cross looked spot on until met in front of goal by Evans who headed the ball over the bar.
That was a chance- and another came within a minute….at the other end and it looked about to be 3-0 as a flowing County move set Wootton up with a bit of a sitter- and he fluffed it- the score stayed 2-0.
There was some defending for County to do- O`Connell doing well in the blues cause as Argyle threatened via Pepple, but the remainder of the half , including added time, Diamond a constant thorn in Plymouth`s side – thwarted by Cooper on 44 minutes as the home side looked about to play themselves into more trouble……..and again 2 minutes later as another `Last gasper` by Cooper stopped Diamond.
The football continued from County, much of it top quality- Diamond still in the mix- cutting inside on a late/late run before lifting his shot over the bar.
The teams went in at half time with the score 2-0 in County`s favour- a highly satisfactory position.
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It took County less than 5 minutes to add the third goal they desired, and what an absolute blinder it was as Glover received the ball near the edge of the box before lashing a brute of a shot into the net to acclaim from County supporters who were now ecstatic!
County kept their play much as before next, there being no great overemphasis on defence.
This slowly began to change ,firstly as many of Referee David Rock`s rulings began to hit County- free kicks on the edge of the box putting the pressure on – other set pieces namely a raft of corners did not help County although overall their defensive play was sound it was finding the correct ball or play to turn defence into threatening attack, and this slowly began to look an increasingly elusive goal.
The pressure kept building from Argyle, and I had just written `Plymouth pressing, surely they must score soon` when they did …….as a corner by Harvey White fell at the feet of Xavier Amaechi who promptly fired the ball home from the edge of the box( after failing to do so earlier scuffing his shot from another White pass).
The pressure continued from Argyle, met by County`s firm defending – enhanced nicely by Ollie Whatmuff`s contribution.
Into added time it went on……much pressure on County but no real sign that Argyle could find just how to sort this conundrum, and score.
Eventually Mr Rock`s whistle ended proceedings and we headed for home buoyed by a hard-won well-deserved win – not perfect but did we really seek perfection from the first league game of the season?
Plenty for Jimmy Mac to sort, and I am sure that he will!
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Plymouth Argyle line up:-
Cooper, Ross, Boateng, White ( Wiredu 89), Evans ( Ibrahim, 65), Curtis, Mitchell ( 45 Pleguezuelo, , Hartridge, Pepple, Sorinola ( Amaechi 57), Harding.
Substitutes not used : Storer , Edwards, Finn.
Stockport County line up :-
Whatmuff, Bate, Pye, O'Connell, Diamond ( Andresson 70), Norwood ( Fiorini 82), Glover ( Rydel 70), Wood ( Adigun 60), Wootton, Osborn ( Edun,60), Gordon.
Substitutes not used : 1Wilson-Brown, Mandron.
Attendance: 16,244 (887)
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