Carabao Cup first round
FRIDAY'S Carabao Cup first-round draw has handed the Pilgrims a chance to avenge our heaviest defeat of last season.
The draw, made in Vietnam, has paired us with 2017-18 semi-finalists Bristol City for the second successive year, with a return to Ashton Gate coming 12 months after a humbling 5-0 loss there.
A sell-out away crowd saw us exit the competition after conceding goals to Jens Hegeler, Nathan Baker, Korey Smith, Freddie Hinds and substitute Jamie Paterson.
To compound a miserable evening for the Pilgrims, second-half substitute Oscar Threlkeld broke his leg and was sidelined for many weeks.
Competing against the Pilgrims that day was Zak Vyner, who later joined the Pilgrims on loan from Ashton Gate and was an important part of the team that rose to challenge for promotion.
After the match, manager Derek Adams said: “I’ve made too many changes and it didn’t work out for us. Over the 90 minutes, Bristol City obviously deserved to win the game; they scored some really good goals and we didn’t defend well enough.
“After 19 minutes, we were 3-0 down and there was no way back. They players were in a wee bit of shock. To be fair to Bristol City, they pressed us very well when we had the ball – they are a very good side – but, in the end, we didn’t do well enough when we had the ball. We didn’t do well enough defending, as well.
“We had probably too many attacking players on the park. When you have that against a better standard of opposition, it doesn’t help.”
After beating us, a Bristol City side including former Argyle loan players Bobby Reid and Joe Bryan went on a tremendous run to the last four of the competition before succumbing to eventual winners Manchester City.
They knocked out four Premier League teams on their way to the semi-final: defending champions Manchester United, Watford, Stoke City Crystal Palace.
Last season’s encounter was only the second time that we have faced City in the EFL Cup. The first came in 1970-71, when a Jimmy Hinch goal was enough to allow Argyle to progress to the competition's second round.
The match takes place in the week beginning August 13.
Our Sky Bet League One fixtures for 2018-19 are published on Thursday, June 21.
FULL CARABAO CUP FIRST ROUND DRAW
Rotherham United v Wigan Athletic
Tranmere Rovers v Walsall
Crewe Alexandra v Fleetwood Town
Scunthorpe United v Doncaster Rovers
Macclesfield Town v Bradford City
Grimsby Town v Rochdale
Sheffield United v Hull City
Nottingham Forest v Bury
Middlesbrough v Notts County
Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday
Leeds United v Bolton Wanderers
Carlisle United v Blackburn Rovers
Mansfield Town v Accrington Stanley
Port Vale v Lincoln City
Preston North End v Morecambe
Oldham Athletic v Derby County
Shrewsbury Town v Burton Albion
Blackpool v Barnsley
Millwall v Gillingham
Portsmouth v AFC Wimbledon
Cheltenham Town v Colchester United
Yeovil Town v Aston Villa
Southend United v Brentford
Reading v Birmingham City
Wycombe Wanderers v Northampton Town
Swindon Town v Forest Green Rovers
Norwich City v Stevenage
Exeter City v Ipswich Town
Milton Keynes Dons v Charlton Athletic
West Bromwich Albion v Luton Town
Bristol Rovers v Crawley Town
Bristol City v Argyle
Cambridge United v Newport County
Queens Park Rangers v Peterborough United
Oxford United v Coventry City