Argyle Under-18s have had a busy start to the season, playing in multiple competitions and enduring a hectic schedule over the last few weeks.
Results have not necessarily been as strong as Head Coach Jamie Lowry would like, but he does feel that performances have been better than scorelines may suggest.
Ahead of Saturday’s South Youth Alliance League match against Luton Town at Millennium Fields, Lowry has set goals for the Greens - to continue playing the Argyle way and perform to the levels set by Academy staff.
“We want to win,” he told Argyle TV, “but we also want to continue the performances we’ve had recently. We’ve been playing really well. In the Bristol Rovers game we were very good, Bromley we were good, we’ve been great apart from the results. [We need to] just to continue on the front foot, working hard and doing the basics well. Then, in possession, being nice and brave and looking to try and play when we can.
“We need to keep the ball, and just show our identity and what we're about.”
A busy schedule will be tough to manage for the Under-18s, with a smaller squad compared to many, but Lowry and his staff have ensured that managing the workload of the players is of top importance during this time.
Lowry said: “This week has probably been a little bit easier on the legs. We had our Tuesday night game at Elburton and a lighter session today, and then our normal match prep will be on Friday. It’s just managing the boys’ workload.
“We had an Under-17s Floodlit Cup game last Tuesday, so they've gone Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. We’re very mindful of the workload they've been doing, and saving their legs for the weekend, but we've also prepared like we normally do. We’re ready to go again on Saturday against a team that are second in the league. They're strong at this level, so it'll be a good game for us.”
One topic of conversation that is hard to ignore is the fine form of forward Joe Hatch. The Welshman has been on the scoresheet for the majority of the games he has played in and does not look like slowing down anytime soon, much to the happiness of his Head Coach.
“He's definitely got a smile on his face, you can see that,” Lowry said. “He's doing really well. All the stuff we worked on in training over the last few years with him being around the goal, being between the sticks, and simplifying his game is on show. Benjani has been a pivotal person in his life. He’s playing with lots of freedom and really enjoying his football, and I think that's the key thing for Joe.”
