Decent runout for the Greens

Argyle recorded a convincing win in the searing heat of Estepona with a 15-1 victory on Wednesday night.

The Greens were 7-1 up at the break thanks to four goals from Ryan Hardie and one each from Joe Edwards Jordan Houghton and Matt Butcher.

Niall Ennis added four more in the second half with Luke Jephcott grabbing a brace and Adam Randell and Alfie Lewis also on the scoresheet.

A handful of fans were in attendance as Argyle bossed proceedings. They kept the ball well and moved it quickly to stretch their opponents in tough conditions.

Once again, the pitch and facilities were perfect. A pristine pitch with gym and changing rooms greeted the Argyle side as they made the 30-minute journey from the hotel.

The heat, though, was almost unbearable with bins filled with ice dotted around the pitch.

In a training match that was always about the conditions more than the opposition Argyle took the lead after eight minutes when Houghton let fly from range.

That lead was doubled when Hardie applied his trademark chipped finish.

He grabbed his second two minutes later before Edwards finished off a classy move to make it four.

Hardie completed his hat-trick with a driven left footed effort before notching for the fourth time with a cool finish.

Butcher stooped to head Argyle’s seventh from a corner with ten minutes still to play.

A counter just before the break reduced the arrears momentarily but the Greens asserted their authority seconds into the second half as Alfie Lewis volleyed home after the ‘keeper made a good save.

A host of changes were made at the break with conditions getting slightly cooler, but the intensity of the play continued.

With manager Steven Schumacher watching on from a television tower next to the pitch Niall Ennis classily added the ninth then the tenth.

The Greens kept playing, as the professional outfit they are, and they seemed to save the best strikes until last.

Adam Randell smashed in the eleventh from 25-yards and then Luke Jephcott hammered in from the edge of the box with his left foot.

After the second water break of the match Niall Ennis netted his third with a brilliantly taken goal.

Jephcott neatly chipped in his second from a delightful through ball from Brandon Pursall and Ennis rounded off the scoring with a cute left footed finish.

The score line was emphatic, and the performance was exactly what was needed.

A good way to wrap up a tough three days of training in Marbella with an opportunity to put into practice all the routines and styles of play they’ve trained for.

First half team:

Mike Cooper (gk); Jordan Houghton, Dan Scarr, Matt Butcher, Joe Edwards (capt), Ryan Hardie, Danny Mayor, Mickel Miller, Alfie Lewis, Finley Craske, Brandon Pursall.

Second half team:

Calum Burton (gk); Macaulay Gillesphey, James Wilson (capt), Dan Scarr, Niall Ennis, Alfie Lewis, Adam Randell, Ryan Law, Luke Jephcott, Finley Craske, Brandon Pursall.