Under-18s Pre-Season Review

Argyle Under-18s’ pre-season campaign has now come to an end, with Jamie Lowry’s side heading into the upcoming EFL Youth Alliance League season with full confidence. 

The apprentices won all seven of their fixtures and look to be in fine form ahead of the league opener on Friday against Gillingham. 

The Greens won 3-1 in the opening match of their pre-season campaign, against SGS College, Bristol. First-years Sam Lord and Kian Burch found themselves on the scoresheet, with Burch bagging a brace and continuing his form from last season, where he scored on his debut for the Under-18s. 

Whilst on tour in the West of England, Lincoln City battled it out with Argyle in a tight match in Bath, but it was the Pilgrims who were victorious by a goal to nil. Cole Fisher’s finish in the final minutes handed Argyle their second win of pre-season. 

Following that close encounter with the Imps, two games full of possession and ball domination against Pro Football Academy and Total Pro Soccer saw nine goals scored by the Greens. 

A 7-0 victory against Pro Football Academy was secured thanks to goals from Joel Sullivan and Burch, who scored two apiece, with Fletcher Poole, Toby Haley, and Fisher scoring the other goals. In the fourth pre-season fixture, Lord and Harry Shield’s second-half goals left Argyle as 2-1 victors against Total Pro Soccer. 

A gutsy 45 minutes from the Greens to end the fifth game of pre-season was enough to claim victory against Tavistock AFC. Two goals from the hosts gave them a strong advantage heading into half-time, but a brace from midfielder Harley Sneap and a tap-in from Burch propelled the Pilgrims to victory at Langsford Park. 

In the penultimate fixture before the season opener, a midweek trip to Cornwall to face Truro City proved another credible challenge. Burch, once again, found himself in amongst the goals and got on the scoresheet, along with under-16 Joe Rapson, in a 2-1 win for Argyle.  

The Under-18s ended their pre-season preparations with another 2-1 victory on the South coast, this time against AFC Bournemouth. Burch scored his seventh pre-season goal and helped the Greens to success, alongside Lord’s hammered finish. 

Argyle Under-18s Head Coach Jamie Lowry is delighted with how his team has performed this pre-season, and the unbeaten form they see themselves in heading into the start of the season.  

“The lads have worked extremely hard during pre-season and have really come together as a squad,” Lowry said. “We have focused on our patterns of play and our out-of-possession shape. We have had competitive pre-season fixtures in which we have come through unbeaten.  

“Winning football matches is always a good mentality to have, and we’re now looking forward to the start of the season.” 

Argyle Under-18s start their 2024/25 EFL Youth Alliance campaign against MK Dons this Friday, 9 August.