2014-15 in Review - Top Five Home Games

While our Devon Derby against Exeter  (more on that shortly) was our first League game of the campaign, Orient’s visit four days previous was the first action at Home Park of the season, and it was a cracking way to kick things off. 

Following the opening day defeat at Cambridge, it seemed a miserable start to the season was set to continue, as Orient raced into a 2-0 lead. Dean Cox did not start the game for the visitors, but his introduction after 11 minutes was telling, as he scored a pearler almost immediately then set about running the show. He crossed to Mathieu Baudry to make it two, and it looked set to be another miserable League Cup experience for the Pilgrims. 

However, Reuben Reid reduced arrears before half-time, and scored again on the hour to level the tie. It was all Argyle second half, with Lewi Alessandra twice hitting the bar, but the Greens could not get the game won. The teams exchanged extra-time goals, and despite Argyle having a kick to win the game, we eventually were dumped out – again – after a shoot-out. 

It was, though, a thoroughly fun and entertaining encounter, and a marker that suggested Argyle could cut it against a team a level above. 

The final League game of the regular 2014-15 season held a huge amount of significance to both sides. Argyle were searching for the win that would practically ensure their play-off spot, while Rovers’ very existence in the division was under threat. 

Argyle led through Reuben Reid’s penalty, but Tranmere’s equaliser, a lovely strike by Max Power, converting a well-taken corner, drew the visitors level. As good as Power’s drive was, it was overshadowed by a gorgeous effort from the left boot of Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, offering a perfect example of how to get your first career goal. 

Relegation haunted Tranmere put Argyle under pressure, but the resilient Pilgrims held out, and Alessandra’s goal put them out of sight. Kayode Odejayi got a late goal, but it was truly no consolation, and Rovers were down. 

This encounter is only at number three - and not higher - on the list by virtue of special circumstances promoting the top two.

The game was marked by the debut of Aaron Bentley, who very ably slotted into Peter Hartley’s position in the back three, after the latter picked up a knock during the warm-up. Eighteen-year-olds given about 20 minutes warning are not supposed to play with that kind of poise. He contributed an Argyle’s dismantling of Dagenham that might well have been the best home performance of the season.

Certainly the second half. Argyle had deserved led at half-time thanks to Reuben Reid’s opener, beautifully crafted for him by namesake Bobby Reid and by Alessandra, who had a fabulous afternoon, and then upped their game after the break. 

Dagenham looked shellshocked by the attacking triumvirate of Alessandra and the two Reids, who cut open Daggers time and again. Bobby scored early in the second half, and Reuben tucked away a penalty, won by Lewi, to round things off. 

Armed Services Day is always a special day at Home Park. Even if we were to lose 4-0, it means something to pay tribute to our servicewomen and men. 

However, when you have some fabulous looking mosaics...and 10,000 are in...and Sky Sports are in town...and you are 3-0 up after half an hour – then the day becomes that much sweeter. 

Loud and passionate supporters from Plymouth and Portsmouth, respectively, respectfully observed a moving silence prior to kick-off, as well as other events to honour our armed services, in front of the nation. We’re biased – but it looked a wonderful sight. 

With this game being played on a Saturday lunch-time, following a trip to Coventry for a Wednesday evening game, there were some suggestions that Argyle’s fitness may be called into question. The Pilgrims, though, exploded from the traps. Alessandra won Reuben Reid a penalty, which was duly converted, before himself finishing off a Kelvin Mellor cross. 

Mellor teed up Reuben on the half-hour, and Argyle were home and dry. Pretty cool to beat a rival team 3-0 on your home turf in front of a five figure crowd, eh?

There were 11,418 present for Argyle’s first game of the league season - and for 943 of them it was a miserable experience. For the rest – bliss.

The teams emerged to a stunning Wall of Colour, and a decent enough wall of sound. Tyler Harvey, though, showed utter distain for the concept of a wall, bending a gorgeous 14th minute free-kick past Christy Pym, and sending Home Park wild. 

It stayed that way – the mood, that is, not the scoreline. Reuben Reid latched on to a Harvey through-pass to add a second before half time, and Curtis Nelson added a coup de grace late on as Argyle cruised to their first home win of the season. 

We would go on to be victorious another 12 times in the league - our best home record since winning the Second Division in 2003-04 – but none felt as sweet.