Opening Show

The Pilgrims have only lost two of their last 10 opening day fixtures, with last season seeing them kick off proceedings with a comfortable 2-0 against AFC Wimbledon.

Today marks the first time we have kicked off a season at home since 2012, with the last three seasons seeing us start on the road. The last time Home Park hosted an opening day fixture, the Pilgrims saw off Portsmouth 3-0 in the Capital One Cup. 

This date has been an opening day date just twice in Argyle’s past, both times in recent years. It has not served up a defeat yet though in this capacity, with the Pilgrims notably kicking off their 2005-06 Championship campaign on this date with a win at Reading, thanks to a last minute Nick Chadwick goal.

One thing Argyle will be keen to rectify is the current trend of this particular fixture. Luton have come away 1-0 winners in both of their last two visits to Home Park, although Argyle have responded with away wins of their own each time. 

Argyle had won four of the five home meetings before this, including three successive 2-1 victories, the most notable of which came in 2003 when David Friio netted in the last minute to secure three points for Argyle in a game which had seen them trailing with 10 minutes remaining.

The trends certainly tend to point to the likelihood of a close game between the two. Of 15 meetings between the two since the turn of the millennium, only two have been won by more than a single goal. Indeed, the 2-1 Argyle victory is the most common result in this time, with the Pilgrims winning by this scoreline on five occasions, or a third of the time.