Wed 8th Jan
FA Youth Cup
Kick-off19:00

PLY Argyle

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LIN Lincoln

Jamie Lowry
Fixture Sync

Argyle’s Under-18s are looking to progress further in the prestigious FA Youth Cup on Wednesday night when they face Lincoln City under the lights at Home Park. 

The Greens secured their spot in the fourth round of the competition with an extra-time victory over Carlisle United at Brunton Park. The hosts took the lead late in the game but a Harry Shield equaliser in the dying minutes gave Argyle the lifeline they needed, before two goals in the additional half-an-hour made the near 800-mile round trip worthwhile. 

The young Pilgrims were forced into a winter break, but Head Coach Jamie Lowry believes his side deserved one after a hectic but successful schedule to end 2024. Now, progression to the fifth round can be achieved on Wednesday evening at the Theatre of Greens. 

“Everyone is looking forward to it,” Lowry told Argyle TV. “It's probably the biggest thing in our calendar, with it being the FA Youth Cup game, so we're really looking forward to it and are focused. We’ve had a good week of prep since our mini break over Christmas and are ready to go again.  

“The boys had a well-deserved break and recovery with a small programme during the winter break. They still had a little bit of work, but mainly it was recovery. They played lots of games in the first half of the season, so their bodies needed to be allowed to recover, recharge and go again. We've done what we need to do and have done a lot more game prep ready for Wednesday, but the boys are in a good place. 

“Playing at Home Park will mean a lot. It's something they talk about all the time and ask ‘when can we play on the pitch‘ and things like that. They know that the big games and the big moments are when we're allowed to utilise the pitch. We talked about it at Carlisle and felt that we earned playing here. It was brilliant to get through to this round and get a home tie. It's something that they all wanted. They watch every home game of the first team and idolise playing out on the Home Park surface.” 

Having faced the Imps in pre-season, Lowry and his staff know what to expect from the Youth Alliance League North side, and have the boost of a fresh squad at hand to go at Lincoln in full force. 

He said: “It'll be a really difficult game. They're well set up, a good threat on the counter-attack, and they've got boys at the top that can really hurt you if we lose the ball and they turn it over. Defensively, they don't give much away, so it's going to be a difficult game.   

“Squad-wise, we're similar to Carlisle. We've got some fresh bodies back to give us a boost and some energy, but we're happy. I think whatever kind of side we put out we’ll be fine. I trust all the players we've got, with the -18s and -16s. As you’ve seen in the past, we’ve had four or five under-16s starting in previous weeks, and they've been outstanding. Every single player we've got at the football club I trust to go out there and perform. 

The opportunity to play at Home Park also hands the unique chance to play in front of the Green Army and family members. Lowry knows how much this will mean to his squad but also how important it will be during the game to hear the cheers and motivation from the Beacon Electrical Mayflower Grandstand. 

“I’m sure it’ll be a proud moment for the parents getting to see their son play at Home Park,” he said. “However, it also adds a lot with supporters getting behind us. When we're on the front foot and need a bit of support, they can help us and bring that atmosphere and noise around the ground. We're not very used to having big crowds or an atmosphere or volume around the pitch, so that will be new to the lads, but it's something that they can take on and feel that energy.” 

Tickets for the Youth Cup encounter cost £5 for adults, with season-ticket holders able to buy theirs for just £3. 

Tickets for this fixture can be purchased at any time by visiting argyletickets.com. 

The match will also be streamed live on Argyle TV around the world for just £2.50 - whilst existing Argyle TV subscribers will be able to access the stream for free. 

Match commentary will come from Charlie Price, with coverage starting five minutes before the 7pm kick-off time at Home Park. 

Click here to purchase your Argyle TV match pass. 

Shirt Printing
Argyle Under-18s

Argyle are through to the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup after a tense night at Home Park ended in a penalty shoot-out victory. 

The Young Pilgrims went 2-0 up against Lincoln City via goals from Fletcher Poole and Josh Sullivan, but were pegged by the Imps, with a Zane Okoro penalty and a Jaxon Tomak strike levelling the tie. 

After extra-time passed without incident or goals, the sides took turns from the spot, and reached 3-3 before Dan Holman saved Carter Ford’s effort. Two penalties later, Tegan Finn converted to ensure the Greens went through. 

After a slow start to the game, Argyle began to assert on the game, and Finn had his first effort with intent on the 23-minute, the ball going over the bar. 

In a first half with few chances, the Greens always looked the more likely, and they took the lead five minutes before the break with a neat move and finish. 

Finn was involved, clipping a ball on the right to Cole Fisher, and he sent in a beautiful cross to the far post. Poole was waiting, but he still had plenty to do, as he may have expected the defender in front of him to meet the delivery. As it was, the defender missed the flight, and Poole reacted to steer a header into the corner. 

His reaction to the goal was to seek out club photographer Izzy Field and celebrate directly at her. Frankly, his knee slide game needs a lot of work – but fortunately his heading is the bit that matters. 

Holman in the Argyle goal was called into action for the first time, saving well to his right to deny an effort from Okoro, but the Greens went in leading at the interval. 

After the break, Argyle upped their attempts to get a second goal to give themselves some perceived breathing space. A lovely move on the right saw Finn, Fisher, Lewis Thomas and Poole all involved, with the latter two having shots blocked at close range. 

Then, a superb interception by Harry Shield, anticipating and stepping out from the back, saw him play Finn through. The number 10 went round the goalkeeper, but saw his shot from a tight angle halted en route to goal. 

Then, from a free-kick, Argyle got their second. Fisher sent a ball from the left to the far post, Shield did really well to head back across, and captain Sullivan acrobatically reached out a leg to flick over the goalkeeper. 

Almost immediately, Lincoln were handed a lifeline in the form of a penalty. It seemed harsh on Joe Mwaro, who seemed to nick the ball away from Gbolahan Okewoye, but the referee decided it was a penalty, and Okoro dispatched well to halve the deficit. 

This goal awoke the Imps, and they equalised 13 minutes later. Substitute Tomak was the eventual beneficiary of Argyle losing the ball when playing out from the back. Okewoye pinched it in the area, and squared for Tomak, who had the facile task of rolling in the leveller. 

Lincoln looked the more likely to get a third, too, and Holman saved from Tomak at his near post to keep parity in the game. 

Near the end of the 90 minutes, Argyle nearly won it, with Finn, now playing on the left, driving outside his man and shooting on target, only to find an outstretched leg of goalkeeper Jaden Taylor in the way. Substitute Jared Rendle followed up, but could only head wide. 

Extra-time yielded precious little in terms of action until the very end. With literally seconds to go, Frankie Maund’s scooped effort was clawed away by Taylor, and he claimed the follow-up effort too. 

Penalties followed, with Fisher, Shield and Seb Campbell converting after three Lincoln players had scored. With the shoot-out even, Holman’s large frame blocked Ford’s strike, and Argyle had a foot in round five. 

Rendle scored to give Argyle the advantage, and although Okewoye made it 4-4, Finn’s decisive penalty was just that. He struck it hard and true, out of reach of the goalkeeper, sending Argyle through to the next round. 

Argyle: 40 Dan Holman, 2 Joe Mwaro, 3 Harry Shield, 4 Billy Devlin, 5 Jensen Ireland, 6 Joel Sullivan (capt), 7 Cole Fisher, 8 Lewis Thomas (6 Seb Campbell, 63), 9 Kian Burch (18 Frankie Maund, 75), 10 Tegan Finn, 11 Fletcher Poole (17 Jared Rendle, 84). Substitutes: 23 Jack Flower (gk), 12 Toby Haley, 14 Sam Hayman, 15 Toby Maclean. 

Goals: Poole 41, Sullivan 52

Booked: Shield 12

Lincoln: 1 Jaden Taylor, 2 Carter Ford, 3 Noah Simmons (16 Jaxon Tomak, half-time), 4 Lewy Oliver, 5 Charlie Parks (capt), 6 Denny Oliver, 7 Dakara Wifa (12 Kian Sagoo, 85), 8 Charlie Carlisle (15 Josh Kennealey, 102), 9 Gbolahan Okewoye, 10 Zane Okoro, 11 Kelly Fombad. Substitutes: 13 Mario Vasiloiu (gk), 17 Kenzie Oliver. 

Goals: Okoro pen 55, Tomak 68

Booked: Okoro 68, Wifa 73

Attendance: 561

Referee: Lewis Sandoe