Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher praised returning duo Bali Mumba and Morgan Whittaker as his side marked their return to the Championship with a 3-1 home win over Neil Warnock’s Huddersfield at windswept Home Park.
Whittaker’s sixth-minute opener was cancelled out by Terriers skipper Michal Helik’s leveller in first-half stoppage time.
But two solo goals in as many second-half minutes swung the game in Argyle’s favour, with Mumba’s 74th-minute strike swiftly followed by striker Ryan Hardie’s sharp finish two minutes later.
Schumacher said: “All through pre-season we spoke about how we need to be clinical. That’s going to make such a difference this season.
“I really enjoyed the game, two teams that went at it right from the very start. It was intense. There was always someone right up against our players.
“We showed bits of quality when we needed and that swung it in our favour.
“The early goal settled everyone’s nerves a bit I think. It wasn’t a typical goal that we would score.
“Twenty minutes in Huddersfield got themselves back into the game and then got their goal just before half-time.
“We were disappointed to concede the way we did, with the ball bouncing off the post to one of their players.
“But then Bali and Ryan Hardie produced two bits of quality. If we get those forward players the ball, then they will produce.”
Former loanees Whittaker and Mumba are both back at the club permanently after £1million moves from Swansea and Norwich respectively.
“Morgan was in the right place at the right time,” said Schumacher. “Adam Randell has done brilliantly to get up and head it on and you expect Morgan to score those.
“Bali has done brilliantly, a great run and finish. We know the pair of them. We saw how good they were last season. They go out and express themselves. Morgan’s assist for Ryan’s goal came from his defensive work.
“I think they both have still got bags of potential and we can develop that here.
“Ryan’s always playing on the shoulder. That’s his 50th goal (for the club) and I am pleased for all the front three that they have got the start of the season off with a goal.
“I was really pleased with Conor Hazard, on his debut, he made a couple of brilliant saves.
“Nobody was poor, everybody contributed, it’s three points, a great start, what we all wanted.”
Huddersfield boss Warnock said: “You have got to take your chances. We had three great chances.
“It’s fine margins really. It didn’t surprise me that the two wide lads won it for them because we made mistakes against them. I thought we had nullified them but we didn’t. They win the games with their goals.
“When you look at goals throughout the season there will always be an aspect of disappointment.
“You can talk all day but it’s one game gone and we got beat. It’s a game we should have won. If Jack Rudoni’s free header goes in and Josh Koroma scores then you win the game.
“You can do something at 2-1 but you can’t do much at 3-1.
“You can coach all day long. If you don’t take your chances you don’t win your games.”
Huddersfield host Middlesbrough – another of Warnock’s former clubs – in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
He said: “I will be looking at all the lads on Tuesday to see if there is anybody in there that can force their way in.
“I think our first eleven as good as anyone’s when we’ve got them all available.”
Championship: Brilliant Sunderland extend perfect start, comeback win for Oxford
Top-of-the-league Sunderland extended their perfect start to the season as they beat Portsmouth 3-1 at Fratton Park to secure their fourth Championship victory in as many matches.
The visitors went ahead 31 minutes into the match through a Zak Swanson own goal and never looked back.
It was an unfortunate moment for Swanson, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time when team-mate Jordan Williams’ clearance rebounded off him into the goal.
Republic of Ireland international Alan Browne added a second - his first since signing for Sunderland in the summer transfer window - six minutes into the second half, before Romaine Mundle made it 3-0 and killed the game as a contest in the 56th minute.
Portsmouth made four substitutions on the hour, including the introduction of deadline-day signing Mark O’Mahoney, but none were able to get their team back into the match.
The hosts managed just one shot on target before Luke O’Nien’s stoppage-time own goal gave them a consolation. They await their first victory of the campaign and sit 18th in the table.
Oxford United went up alongside Portsmouth, but enjoyed their afternoon a little more as they came from behind to beat Preston North End 3-1 at the Kassam Stadium.
It was a first defeat for Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom, who was appointed manager earlier in the month after Ryan Lowe was sacked.
The visitors started better, with Emil Riis Jakobsen opening the scoring after just three minutes. But in-form Mark Harris levelled after 20 minutes with a header as he scored for the fourth straight league game.
It was to get even better for Oxford in the second half when Tyler Goodrham put them into the lead with a spectacular strike. Preston were then reduced to 10 men, with Liam Lindsay picking up a second booking in the 70th minute, and Greg Leigh wrapped up the points a minute later.
The win takes Oxford to eighth, while Preston are in 21st, one place below Sheffield Wednesday who were beaten 3-0 by Millwall at the New Den.
Josh Coburn scored on his debut for the hosts in the second half, before goals from Duncan Watmore and Jake Cooper secured Millwall’s first win of the season. For Wednesday, it’s now three straight defeats.
Unbeaten Leeds United went fourth in the table following a 2-0 victory over Hull City, who sit 19th and are still waiting for their first victory of the campaign.
Second-half goals from Mateo Joseph and Joel Piroe at Elland Road helped Leeds secure back-to-back victories for the first time this season.
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life after Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
Brentford 3-1 Southampton: Bees begin life without Toney with comfortable win
Brentford began life without Ivan Toney with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Southampton.
Bryan Mbeumo’s brace and a Yoane Wissa goal proved to be the difference between the two sides and condemned the Saints to their third straight loss since promotion back to the Premier League.
With departed striker Toney watching in the stands after his move to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, the hosts proved too strong for Russell Martin’s men. They created the superior chances and capitalised on an error-strewn performance from Southampton’s backline.
Mbeumo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time before doubling the lead halfway through the second period and Wissa then got on the scoresheet moments later to continue Brentford’s strong start to the campaign. Yukinari Sugawara bagged a consolation in injury time for the Saints.
Brentford sit in fifth place ahead of the first international break, while Southampton are second-bottom of the league table with zero points.
Data debrief: Wissa continues to prove effective at home
Wissa now has five goals and two assists in his last seven matches at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Brentford have recorded consecutive home league wins for the first time since last November, and the first time in their opening home games since August 2018.
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