Under-18s Report | Argyle 3 Sutton United 1

Argyle’s Under-18s progressed to the area final of the Youth Alliance Cup with a 3-1 win against Sutton United on Saturday morning at Millennium Fields.

Tegan Finn was the man of the moment, opening the scoring inside two minutes. He went on to score a second, and Argyle’s third, with just over ten minutes left to play.

Freddie Issaka scored a sublime solo goal midway through the first-half to take his tally to 11 for the season, three in three in the Youth Alliance Cup.

Manager Jamie Lowry made just one change from the team that bowed out the FA Youth Cup with a valiant effort against Crystal Palace.

There was a slight reshuffle with Cole Fisher dropping to the bench and Cole Gibbings taking his place. This allowed Fin Wilkes to retake his natural position in defensive midfield having played at left-back against Palace.

It was a fast start for the Young Greens who took the lead in just the second minute through Finn.

The winger himself was the one to start the move when he found Joe Hatch in a central position. Finn continued his run down the right wing and was found by Hatch before he broke into the box and hammered a shot into the top-left corner from a tight angle.

There was not much that Sutton keeper Lenny Jones could have done to stop Finn’s effort as after it left his boot there was only once place the ball would be ending up.

It seemed to be going all Argyle’s way until Sutton fought back and levelled six minutes later though George Voster.

Neither Jack Matthews nor Jensen Ireland managed to clear their lines when the ball was bouncing around the penalty area and Voster managed to pick up the pieces, firing home from close range.

Before ten minutes it was already 1-1 and with both teams throwing players forward at every opportunity the game showed no signs of slowing down.

After a flurry of chances throughout the first-half, Issaka took matters into his own hands and equalised on 35 minutes with a spectacular solo run and finish.

Hatch, once again involved in build-up play, came deep to hold the ball up before spraying a pass out wide for Issaka.

The Wales international did what he does best, beating two defenders and darting into the box from the left flank. Issaka shifted the ball from his left to right foot and shot from the tightest of angles, finding the top right corner.

Both Gibbings and Josh Bernard had chances to extend the Greens lead before the half-time break.

However, it would be Sutton’s Vinnie Tume who would have the biggest chance to influence the scoreline in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

He did well to pick the ball out of the air from a cross lofted into the area however his shot was not as good as the moment before, rolling into Dan Holman’s gloves.  

This meant the score remained 2-1 to Lowry’s side as the teams went into the half-time break.

After the interval, the young Pilgrims had to ride out a wave of pressure from the visitors with both Ireland and Lewis Colwell making critical blocks to keep Holman relatively untested.

However, it was not long before Argyle’s stopper was called into action. Vorster did well to wriggle into the box, evading the challenges of the Greens’ defenders. He let fly from around the penalty spot, forcing a strong low save out of Holman. He had a second bite of the cherry with the rebound falling kindly for him, this time Argyle's young goalkeeper flew through the air to palm the ball over the bar, stopping it from flying into the top left corner.

The young Greens sealed victory when, in the 79th minute, they put the game beyond doubt, making it 3-1.

Issaka struck the woodwork from distance, the ball crashed back off the bar, fortunately into the path of Finn inside the box. He sent Sutton defender Cameron Sullivan to the deck after some mazy footwork before powering the ball past Jones at his near post.

Finn came inches away from a hat-trick in the final minutes, when he saw an effort fly off the crossbar. Hatch fought off the Sutton central defenders before slipping in Finn who had ventured inside from his usual right-wing position. He struck the ball first-time; it flew through the air before hammering the bar.

This would be the last chance of the game with the referee blowing his whistle for the final time minutes later.

With this result, Lowry’s side return to winning ways and in turn book their spot in the Youth Alliance Cup area final against Portsmouth in the New Year.

However, before they can focus on this game, they must first turn their attention back to the league as they take on Newport County at Millennium Fields on Tuesday.

This will be a chance for Lowry’s side to right their wrongs against the only side that have beaten them so far in the league this campaign.

Argyle: Dan Holman, Lewis Colwell, Cole Gibbings (Joel Sullivan 46), Fin Wilkes (Cole Fisher 21), Jack Matthews, Jensen Ireland, Freddie Issaka, Caleb Roberts, Joe Hatch (Henry Donovan 88), Josh Bernard, Tegan Finn. Substitutes not used: Jack Flower, Sam Lord.