STEVE MacLean is a happy man after helping the Greens to an opening day win at Southampton.

The mercurial striker has endured a frustrating career with Argyle but his cultured performance at St Mary's was, hopefully, a sign of a strong campaign ahead.

MacLean and his strike-partner, Rory Fallon, spent much of the first-half as spectators against a strong Saints display but the pair combined to create the only goal for Luke Summerfield in a vastly improved second-half performance.

"It was good to be back playing," he said. "Pre-season is hard work and everybody's striving to play in that first of the game.

"It was good to get the nod because it means you've had a good pre-season. I was even more pleased with the result against a really good side.

"We weathered the storm in the first-half. Rory and I were saying it couldn't go on like that and the gaffer had a word at half-time.

"We played further up the pitch, got in their faces, won more second-balls and we passed the ball better as well. Luckily we got the goal and defended well.

"For the goal, big Rory won the header and I saw it was going past me, so I just tried to flick it and hope that Summers would be coming in."