Under-18s Report | Argyle 7 Newport County 3

Argyle Under-18s produced a showstopping performance to beat Newport County 7-3 in the Youth Alliance League on Tuesday afternoon.

Both Joe Hatch and Caleb Roberts registered braces, while Josh Bernard, Sam Lord, and Freddie Issaka also got their names on the scoresheet.

Manager Jamie Lowry made two changes to the team that beat Sutton United in the Youth Alliance Cup on Saturday morning.

Cole Fisher came into midfield taking the place of Fin Wilkes, who suffered an injury during the first half of Saturday’s game.

Saturday’s star performer Tegan Finn was the other absentee from the squad, Lord his replacement.

The Greens started the game as they intended to go on, taking the lead on 18 minutes. Cole Gibbings made a foray forward down the left-flank and whipped an excellent cross in towards the penalty spot, where Hatch was waiting.

The striker broke away from his marker and managed to get just enough contact on the ball to poke it past a helpless Fraser Needham at his near post.

Just two minutes later the young Pilgrims doubled their lead and now were two goals up inside 20 minutes.

Hatch showcased his all-round skill-set when he dropped deep, dragging a defender out of position and flicking the ball down the line to Bernard who had burst into the open space that had been created.

With the ball at his feet, Bernard continued his run down the line, coming inside and effortlessly curling the ball into the bottom-right corner.

To their credit, Newport stuck with the Greens and got a goal back just two minutes later through Alfie Young. Noah Preston-Watkins ventured down the right and drilled the ball across goal and towards the bottom-left corner. Skipper Lewis Colwell was on hand to divert the ball away from goal, however his block fell into the path of Young who had anticipated well and tapped into an empty net.

Argyle’s two-goal cushion was restored in the 34th minute when Hatch struck once more. Lots of credit must go to Jack Matthews who danced through the Newport lines of defence, playing a one-two with Issaka on the right wing before crossing into a dangerous area.

The Exiles were unable to clear their lines with Lord harassing them as they attempted to do so, the ball eventually fell to Hatch who took it in his stride, hammering it past Needham and into the top-left corner.

On the stroke of half-time Lowry’s side made it 4-1 after Roberts intercepted a loose pass from Sam Watkins, Harrison Page the intended target. The midfielder shifted the ball from his right to left foot and passed the ball into the bottom-right corner, Argyle’s high and brave press paying dividends.

With the scoreline 4-1 at the break there was a feeling that this was one of the best performances of the season to date and that Argyle could go on to score more. However, Newport had shown the threat they carried on the break and Argyle had to be wary of this.

Five minutes into the second-half and Argyle had five, with Lord getting in on the action. He chased a long ball behind the Newport defence from Colwell before coolly chipping the ball over Needham who had rushed off his goal-line.

With the Greens striking first in the second-half, and now boasting a four-goal lead over their visitors from South Wales who sit bottom of the league, complacency had possibly started to creep into their game.

There was a warning sign when Preston-Watkins tested Dan Holman with a sighter just minutes before he would make it 5-2.

Newport’s second goal of the game came after Jensen Ireland was guilty of playing a wayward pass out of defence. The Newport striker made no mistake and found the back of the net keeping his side in the game.

Preston-Watkins struck again just minutes, later making it 5-3, when he poached the ball from Matthews after a heavy touch and beat Ireland with a body feint inside the box, going on to poke the ball past Holman.

Preston-Watkins should have had his hat-trick when he had a golden opportunity to bring his side within a goal of Argyle, having been four behind.

Young forced a save from Holman which bounced away from the goalkeeper and into the path of Preston-Watkins. All he had to do was hit the target and it would have been a goal, however he was unable to do so.

The game was put beyond doubt three minutes before full-time, when Roberts pushed the Greens three goals clear of Newport once again, making it 6-3.

Substitute Henry Donovan did really well to hold the ball up and progress it up the pitch before sliding it to Roberts who was poised on the edge of the penalty area.

Once again, he shifted the ball to his trusty left foot and took aim, beating an unsighted Needham who found himself picking the ball out the back of his net.

Lowry’s side were not finished yet through and scored their seventh of the game in the 88th minute.

Ireland’s clearance turned into an excellent through ball which Bernard cushioned towards Issaka midway inside the Exiles half.

Issaka raced away from two defenders and shot at an angle across goal, finding the bottom-right corner, another moment of magic from the Wales youth international.

The final whistle blew for the last time this calendar year and there could not be a more fitting result and performance to go out on.

The young Pilgrims showcased their attacking might that has seen them top the table in the Youth Alliance League as 2023 draws to a close, boasting a scoring record of 30 goals in ten league games this season.

The next two-and-a-half weeks will be all about relaxation, recuperation and re-focusing on the remaining eight games in the Youth Alliance League and an area final against Portsmouth in the Youth Alliance Cup.

The young Greens return to action on Saturday, 6 January when they travel up the M5 to face Forest Green Rovers.

Argyle: Dan Holman, Lewis Colwell, Cole Gibbings (Joel Sullivan 46), Cole Fisher, Jack Matthews, Jensen Ireland, Freddie Issaka, Caleb Roberts, Joe Hatch (Henry Donovan 46), Sam Lord, Josh Bernard. Substitutes not used: Toby Haley.