Under-18s Report | Exeter City 2 Argyle 3
Argyle Under-18s completed a tremendous second-half comeback win against Exeter City in the Devon Derby on Saturday morning.
Two goals down at the break against their local rivals, the Young Pilgrims rallied and turned the game around in the second period. All three goals scored for Argyle came after the break, with Freddie Issaka, Joe Hatch and Lewis Colwell the scorers.
Argyle took a while to grow into the game, offering the hosts many chances to take the lead within the first ten minutes.
Dan Holman did well to keep the Exeter frontline at bay, making some fantastic saves in the early stages.
However, eventually the pressure on Holman’s goal grew too much and Exeter took the lead through their number nine.
A quick free-kick over the top caught the Pilgrims out and whilst Holman was able to keep out the initial shot, he was unable to get to the rebound meaning the Grecians took the lead.
The deficit was doubled just minutes later when a rare mistake from Holman saw him lose control of the ball and then bring down Exeter’s striker inside the area in an attempt to win it back, forcing the referee to point to the spot.
Exeter’s forward converted and what was previously a slow start has now turned into a nightmare beginning for the Greens.
Going into half-time 2-0 down will have been an unfamiliar feeling for Darren Way’s side who have been so used to winning in recent weeks, and it was clear it would take a major effort for Argyle to get anything out of this game.
What was also clear was that the team knew it when they came back out for the start of the second half.
The Young Greens’ talisman in recent weeks, Issaka, clawed a goal back through a delightful free-kick from just outside the penalty area. His low effort curled around the wall and into the bottom-right corner with the keeper left watching the ball fly into the back of the net.
Argyle used this as a platform to build some momentum from with the equaliser coming just seven minutes later. Colwell had ventured forward from his right-back position and lofted a pinpoint cross into the box from the right-wing.
The perfectly weighted centre was met by Hatch who looped his header over the outstretched goalkeeper. The game was now level and Argyle were starting to look like the side they had been in recent weeks.
The comeback was complete when a hopeful cross from the left bounced over the head of Exeter’s full-back allowing Captain Colwell to lash a volley into the bottom-left corner from just outside the box.
You could see just what it meant to this side to turn the game around with the whole team wheeling away in celebration.
The Young Greens showed professionalism and maturity to see the game out with relative ease, although there was a sour taste left at the end of the match as substitute Kieran Edworthy was on the receiving end of a heavy challenge in stoppage time that saw the forward in serious discomfort. We wish Kieran well.
The victory means Darren Way’s side keep up their winning run with three league wins from three. The manager will be pleased to see his young side have the grit and determination required to turn results around, qualities that will stand them in good stead for the rest of the season.
Argyle: Dan Holman, Lewis Colwell, Joel Sullivan, Jack Matthews, Jensen Ireland (Kieran Edworthy 46), Cole Gibbings, Freddie Issaka, Josh Bernard, Joe Hatch, Caleb Roberts, Tegan Finn (Cole Fisher 86). Substitutes not used: Jack Flower, Henry Donovan, Toby Haley.
