UP AND RUNNING!

ROONEY TASTES VICTORY ON HIS FIRST NIGHT AT HOME PARK

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

WAYNE Rooney's first Home Park match as Plymouth Argyle head coach ended in a 3-0 victory over Cheltenham Town in the Carabao Cup first round.

The League Two visitors did not make it easy for a much-changed Pilgrims' side who were desperate to bounce back from the shocking season-opening 4-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.

Cheltenham came closest to scoring in a goalless first half as Ethon Archer had a shot which hit a post and then rebounded out of play off goalkeeper Conor Hazard for a corner.

Argyle had to wait until the 62nd minute to open the scoring through Ben Waine and they then took control for the closing stages of the tie, with further goals coming from Ryan Hardie and substitute Mustapha Bundu.

It had taken time and patience but the Pilgrims got rewarded for their perseverance as they advanced into the second round in front of a crowd of more than 12,000.

There were nine changes to Argyle's starting line-up against Cheltenham from the drubbing at Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday, with only Hazard and midfielder Darko Gyabi staying in the side.

There was a debut for Hungarian defender Kornel Szucs while Waine played for the first time since returning from the Olympics where he featured for New Zealand in the men's football tournament.

Hazard was between the posts for Argyle because he was the only senior 'keeper available to Rooney after the transfer of Michael Cooper to Sheffield United was agreed between the two clubs.

Cooper is reportedly set to sign a four-year contract with the Blades, who he watched in action when they beat Wrexham 4-2 in the Carabao Cup first round at Bramall Lane on Tuesday night.