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Paul Arnold Garita was making just his second start in English football, having joined Argyle on loan from Bristol City on transfer deadline day

Paul Arnold Garita starred as Plymouth Argyle beat Exeter City in the 104th Devon derby to stay top of League Two.

The Cameroon-born striker set up the opener as he played Craig Tanner's cross into the path of Graham Carey.

He powered his way through the Exeter centre-backs 20 minutes later to score the second before Robbie Simpson missed an excellent chance for City.

Garita was forced off with a knee injury just after half-time before Lee Holmes hit the post for Exeter.

Exeter have not won at St James Park since they last beat Argyle on 2 April, a run of just two wins in their last 20 home games in League Two.

All the hype before the game surrounded Exeter's newest signing - former Plymouth striker Reuben Reid - but it was Argyle's newest frontman that stole the headlines as Carey slotted home from Garita's knock down to get his fourth goal of the season in front of the jubilant 1,545 fans that made the 46-mile journey north east.

Sonny Bradley had a header cleared off the line by Exeter's Jordan Moore-Taylor two minutes before Garita got the second, as Craig Tanner's perfectly-weighted through-ball set the forward away before he powered through the centre of City's defence to slot in under Bobby Olejnik.

City should have halved the deficit four minutes before the break, but Simpson's header from close range went over when it seemed easier to score.

Garita was forced off early in the second half after injuring his hamstring, and with it much of the attacking impetus left the game.

His replacement Jake Jervis has an effort saved by Olejnik while Jake Taylor headed wide for City soon after.

Reid came on with just under half an hour to go, but it was Holmes who had City's best chance to score as he hit the outside of the post with an excellent strike from an angle before Argyle's other goalscorer Carey was forced off with injury.

Plymouth Argyle celebrate Graham Carey's fifth-minute opener

Reuben Reid could not match the hat-trick he scored for Argyle at Exeter two seasons ago