It feels like it’s been a busy week for Plymouth Argyle. But looking back, has that much actually happened?
First of all, the Pilgrims followed up their excellent win over Luton Town with a slightly deflating 1-1 draw at home to Mansfield Town. It kept the unbeaten record in 2026 going, and it’s a sign of progress that we’re disappointed with a point, but for various reasons Argyle really ought to have won the game. Meanwhile, much was promised off the pitch this month, but it’s still only one in and one out as we reach the dying embers of the transfer window.
Indeed, it doesn’t appear that a squad depleted by injuries will have any new blood for the weekend’s fixture. That’s particularly concerning when you consider that the game is against Stockport County, a team well in the hunt for promotion this season. Dave Challinor’s side currently sit fourth, six points off the top two, and are surely in pole position to at least secure a play-off spot as we reach the business end of the campaign.
Away from home and with key players missing, Argyle won’t start the game as favourites. However, Tom Cleverley’s men have been particularly strong on their travels in recent weeks; could that yet continue?
The reverse fixture
6th September 2025: Plymouth Argyle 4 (Wootton og 24’, Watts 39’, Ibrahim 48’, Tolaj 75’) Stockport County 2 (Norwood pen 45+1’, Wootton 90+5’)
This remains the only home league game I haven’t attended this season. Argyle also scored more goals than they have in any home league game this season. Coincidence? I’ll let you be the judge.
As expected, Challinor lined up his Stockport side with a 3-4-2-1. That saw goalkeeper Corey Addai protected by a back three of Callum Connolly, Ethan Pye and Tyler Onyango. Owen Moxon, alongside captain Oliver Norwood, provided a solid platform for the rest of the side in the midfield double pivot.
The attack was somewhat narrow, with both Jack Diamond and Nathan Lowe playing just behind the central striker of Kyle Wootton. That put a significant onus on the wing backs to provide all the width in the attacking sense, alongside their defensive responsibilities. In those positions, a former rumoured Argyle target in Ben Osborn lined up on the left, with Jayden Fevrier on the right.
It’d be fair to say the encounter didn’t get off to a rapid start. There had only been a solitary shot in the first quarter of the game, before Argyle eventually took the lead without even needing an effort on goal. From a Matty Sorinola corner, Wootton somehow managed to head into his own net under little pressure. What was he trying to do? I’m not sure to this day, but Argyle certainly weren’t complaining.
Later in the half, the Pilgrims added their second. It also came from a corner, it was also remarkable, but in a very different way. This one was worked short to Caleb Watts, and the Australian took aim from 25 yards. He caught it brilliantly, with the ball swerving long after he hit it and finding the far corner of Addai’s goal. For my money, it easily remains one of the best goals of Argyle’s season.
Thoughts of Argyle going into the interval with a two-goal advantage were crushed, however, on the stroke of half time. From a corner, referee Neil Hair pointed to the spot after Lowe took a tumble at the far post. Let’s not beat about the bush: it was the wrong decision. Lowe at best stumbled, and at worst simply dived. Nonetheless, Norwood did the honours from the spot, sending Luca Ashby-Hammond the wrong way, and Argyle’s lead at the break was cut to 2-1.
Fortunately, they’d restore their two-goal cushion shortly into the second half, and again from a corner. This one came to Bradley Ibrahim, who took aim from range. It was a well-placed effort, though perhaps shouldn’t have beaten Addai at his near post. But who cares? It did, and this time Argyle would remain in the ascendancy for the remainder of the game.
With around 15 minutes to play, the Pilgrims added a fourth. It was a significant one too, with Lorent Tolaj scoring his first goal for the club. Ashby-Hammond showed his talents in distribution, going route one from a goal kick to send Tolaj in behind. The Swiss striker wasted no time, finishing coolly from just outside the box. It was the third time on the day that Argyle scored from outside the penalty area.
Stockport got themselves a consolation to take back up north deep into stoppage time. Wootton scored at the right end this time, turning and shooting past Ashby-Hammond from the middle of the box on his right foot. By that stage though, it was clearly too little too late. Argyle closed out their victory, and they were good value for it too.
There’s an argument that scoring four goals flattered Argyle, and that’s probably fair. Addai in particular had a shocker in the Stockport goal, and on another day three shots from outside the box wouldn’t have gone in. However, the right team certainly won. A large portion of Stockport’s xG was from a penalty that was dodgy at best, and the game was long gone by the time they created any other chances of note.
Similarities
Stockport have retained Challinor’s services as head coach since the reverse fixture. That’s hardly a surprise; he’s now spent over four years at Edgeley Park, and has had remarkable success during that time. That included their first league title in the EFL in over 50 years, when they were promoted from League Two in 2023/24, and Challinor has had his side knocking on the door of the Championship ever since. If anything, the only real curiosity is that he hasn’t been poached in that time.
Challinor has started to place a greater deal of emphasis on possession. That was the case when these sides last met, and the Hatters had 62% of the ball on the day. Their average possession for the season isn’t quite as high, but their figure of 52.2% ranks seventh in League One. It would certainly surprise me if they don’t have the lion’s share of the ball this weekend.
Of course, there’s an argument that this could suit Argyle down to the ground. It’s certainly worked before, both in the reverse fixture and in recent weeks. Given that much of Argyle’s best work lately has come from their pressing intelligence, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they’ve looked at their best against possession-heavy sides such as Luton and Peterborough United. The Greens could easily look to hurt Stockport in the same way they did in September.
There is, however, one key difference between Challinor’s side and the two aforementioned. Stockport won’t keep possession for the sake of it, and have no problem going long if the situation requires.
It’s something I pointed out in the preview for the reverse fixture, and it still rings true. Only Exeter City (28.0) and Barnsley (27.7) have completed more long passes per game this season than Stockport’s 27.6. And that could prove significant. Yes, Argyle have been much more solid defensively in the last couple of months, but any lingering struggles against long balls down the middle could be brutally exposed.
At the other end, Wootton remains a key threat. Yes, his game at Home Park was somewhat ignominious, as he scored at both ends and only got his actual goal when the game was already done. However, he went into the game as a key goalscorer, and that remains the case. He has 13 in the league, more even than Tolaj, with only Leyton Orient’s Dom Ballard scoring more League One goals this season.
I’m going to finish on the goalkeeper situation. And in truth, this one could have fitted into either the similarities or differences section. There has been a change made between the sticks, but the problems Stockport had last time around in the goalkeeping position remain.
As I alluded to earlier, Addai was poor at Home Park. He conceded four goals having faced efforts with a post-shot xG value of 1.20, and was eventually dropped with his goals prevented figure for the season at -4.49. Ben Hinchliffe was brought in, but seems just as bad when it comes to shot stopping. Yes, he’s played more games (71% of the available minutes compared to Addai’s 29%), but his goals prevented figure of -5.03 is one of the worst in the division.
As they did last time these sides met, Argyle should look to get shots away at every opportunity.
Differences
I don’t think we can guarantee that Challinor will stick with the back three formation he deployed at Home Park. As Cleverley himself mentioned in his press conference this week, Stockport have the ability to line up with three or four at the back. It’s possible that Challinor will see how successful Argyle have been against back threes lately and decide that a 4-2-3-1, perhaps, is a safer option.
We saw as much at the start of the month when Stockport hosted Huddersfield. Hills and Pye formed a central defensive duo, Osborn’s versatility allowed him to move to central midfield, and the full back positions were taken up by Tayo Edun and Jack Hunt, the latter of whom has admittedly left the club. The move also allowed Fevrier to play in a more natural position on the right wing, though he has also left Stockport this week, perhaps limiting this option.
Whatever the shape though, I think we should accept that Stockport have improved as the season has progressed. As I mentioned, the team that travelled to Home Park in September looked as though it was overperforming against expectations, and due a beating. They got one. However, I don’t think the same case can be made this time around.
Stockport’s underlying data, particularly in attack, has seen a significant uptick. Having flattered to deceive before their trip to Devon, they now rank highly in many key attacking metrics, such as seventh for their total of 61 big chances and fifth for their total xG of 39.2. Furthermore, only three teams in League One have had more shots on target per game than Challinor’s side.
I think a lot of that comes from their ability to defend from the front. Since the sides last met, pressing has become a major strength for Stockport; they’ve now won possession in the final third more than any League One side (an average of 4.1 times per game). That pressing regularity allows them to be particularly potent against teams who play out from the back, and can often see them create big openings at will.
There is also plenty to mention regarding personnel differences. As I discussed earlier, Fevrier (who featured in the reverse fixture) and Hunt (who didn’t) have now left the club, with the former loaned to Charlton Athletic and the latter released. Further departures came in the form of Lowe and Corey O’Keeffe, both of whom returned to their parent clubs after their loans were terminated early. And Moxon, who played 86 minutes at Home Park, has suffered the calamity of joining Ryan Lowe at Wigan Athletic.
Stockport have been busy looking to replace those departees. Josh Dacres-Cogley looks to be a straight swap for Hunt on the right of defence, having been bought from Bolton Wanderers. Tanto Olaofe, meanwhile, could be in line to make his second debut for the Hatters, rejoining on loan from Charlton. I doubt it’s a coincidence that Fevrier moved the other way on the same day.
Prediction
Tough to call. Had Argyle had much of their squad available, I think I’d go into this one with confidence, given the recent away record and how Cleverley’s side have succeeded against teams who play like Stockport. However, I cannot get away from the fact that Joe Ralls’ unavailability, combined with Tolaj being half-fit at best, makes the task so much tougher.
Given Stockport’s improvement since these sides last met, a victory for them is surely the most likely outcome. I hope to be proved wrong, but I suspect the Hatters will edge it in Edgeley. 2-1 Stockport.