St Blazey 0 Argyle 9

ARGYLE began their pre-season with a dominant 9-0 win over St Blazey, who were blown away as the Pilgrims strolled to a comfortable victory. 

Argyle were 4-0 up after just half an hour, thanks to a Jake Jervis hat-trick and a Jordan Slew strike. The Pilgrims found themselves 5-0 up at half-time after Slew scored his second. David Goodwillie bagged a second-half brace, with Ben Purrington and Jimmy Spencer completing the scoring.

Just forty days after the Pilgrims had suffered defeat at Wembley, a new-look Argyle side took to the turf at Blaise Park. Argyle's starting 11 featured two trialists, and four new signings; Yann Songo'o, Nauris Bulvitis, Connor Smith and Slew.

Argyle dominated the early stages, creating multiple chances to break the deadlock in their first pre-season game. It took just 15 minutes. Graham Carey played a low through-ball into Jervis, who made a perfectly timed run, and took one touch before firing the ball into the bottom left corner of St Blazey's net.

Two minutes later, it was two for Argyle. The same combination doubled Argyle's lead as Carey crossed into Jervis. The Pilgrims' striker had floated to the edge of the box, and hit a first-time volley into into the right hand side of the goal. Dave Painter, in the St Blazey goal, could do little to stop Jervis' strike.

Argyle continued to dictate, grabbing a third on the 20-minute mark. Trialist A fired a pass into Smith, who quickly played the ball into Slew. Argyle's new striker took a touch and rifled a powerful drive at the St Blazey goal which beat Painter, who could only get a hand to it. 

Argyle grabbed their fourth, and Jervis' third, just after the half-hour mark. Purrington played into Jervis, who controlled just inside the box and whipped his shot into the bottom left corner.

Slew got his second just before the break. Nauris Bulvitis chipped into Carey, who chested the ball into Smith. He chipped a pass which put Slew through on goal and Argyle's striker hit a powerful drive into the right hand side of the St Blazey net.

Half-time saw four changes for Argyle, as Smith, Slew, Carey and Jervis made way for three new signings - Goodwillie, Spencer and Ryan Donaldson - and young striker Louis Rooney.

On the hour, Goodwillie headed in Argyle's sixth after a goalmouth scramble from the corner. Argyle made three changes after the goal: Oscar Threlkeld for Trialist A; Gary Miller for Trialist B; and Luke McCormick for Vincent Dorel.

Argyle's three substitutes had been on the pitch for only a minute before the Pilgrims scored again. It was two in quick succession as Ben Purrington fired a low drive across the 'keeper which fizzed into the net for Argyle's seventh.

With just over 20 minutes to go, Spencer made it eight for Argyle after Goodwillie played him in between the St Blazey centre-backs. Spencer curled the ball into the left corner of the net, past Painter, who was helpless to prevent the Pilgrims stretching their lead further.

Spencer was again involved in the action, but turned into the provider, as he was played in down the left-hand side of the box, and remained cool to play in Goodwillie, who passed in from close range to make it nine right at the end.

It was a convincing win for the Pilgrims, who did everything and more that was expected of them.

Twenty-eight days until it really matters.

Argyle (4-3-1-2): 21 Vincent Dorel (23 Luke McCormick, 60); 3 Gary Sawyer, 5 Nauris Bulvitis, 4 Yann Songo'o, 22 Trialist B (2 Gary Miller 60); 16 Ben Purrington, 15 Trialist A (18 Oscar Threlkeld 60), 6 Connor Smith (11 Ryan Donaldson 45); 10 Graham Carey (20 Louis Rooney, 45); 14 Jake Jervis (7 David Goodwillie, 45), 8 Jordan Slew (9 Jimmy Spencer 45)

St Blazey (4-4-2): 1 Dave Painter; 2 Luke Haworth, 3 Morgan Huw, 4 Matt Thackery, 5 Sam Cooper; 11 Rob Carey, 6 Jared Sims, 8 Ben Casley, 10 Josh Sims; 7 Tornado Bello, 9 Danny O'Hagan.