West Ham opened their League campaign at Plymouth and announced themselves in style, sweeping aside Argyle with a fully deserved 3–1 victory. It was the perfect unveiling for Hubbard, whose two goals justified the faith placed in him and gave the Hammers the lightning‑quick spearhead they had been missing since the days of Watson and Gibbins. With Goulden and Macaulay pulling the strings behind him, West Ham suddenly had balance, guile and a ruthless edge.
The opener came from that very blend. In the first half Goulden lifted a clever lob over an advancing defender, and Hubbard was on it in a flash, racing through and smashing the ball past Middleton to give the Londoners the lead. After the interval he remained a constant menace, repeatedly clashing with the home goalkeeper. One challenge saw him unable to bundle Middleton over the line, but he soon made amends, pouncing on a weak back‑pass from Clark and kicking the ball from the keeper’s grasp into the net.
West Ham’s third came from Jack Wood, the former schoolboy product now staking a real claim on the left flank. He shrugged off Kirkwood, cut inside with purpose, and drove a finish beyond Middleton with authority.
Plymouth’s brightest spark was newcomer Sargeant, whose angled efforts kept Medhurst alert. He grabbed Argyle’s lone reply early in the second half, briefly levelling the match, but it was never enough to halt a West Ham side already in full stride.

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Plymouth Argyle: 

Middleton, Kirkwood, Rae, Gorman, Clark, Archer, Lane, Jones, Glover, McDonald, Sargeant

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Goal: Sargeant