Leyton Orient U18 vs Plymouth Argyle U18

Argyle Under-18s travel to London this weekend to face a physical Leyton Orient side in the Youth Alliance League South.

After securing three points in the final minutes last Saturday against Forest Green Rovers, thanks to a Frankie Maund header, the Pilgrims will look to win back-to-back games to kick-start an important run-in to the end of the season.

Head Coach Jamie Lowry is aware of the physical and gritty affair that will ensue on Saturday, but knows that Argyle’s quality can shine through and help them thrive in, potentially, tough conditions.

“I’m looking forward to it off the back of last week's victory against Forest Green,” Lowry told Argyle TV. “It's something to go and build on, but it will be difficult. They’re just below us in the league table, so we're looking to build a bit of a gap between us and them but mainly looking to build on the performance from last Saturday.

“We’ve watched previous games, and the pitch isn’t a Harpers Park or Home Park [surface], it’s a difficult pitch to play on, so, it will be a first and second-ball game. It'll be about winning battles and duals, tackling, bounces, [there will be] mistakes happening. It’s really important that we have that side of the game and then, as I alluded to last week, if we get that right, our little bits of quality and our ability in the team will win us the game.

“[We need to do] the ugly side of the game well, - what we asked for last week that we probably lacked at Portsmouth. Winning 1v1 battles, the intensity to go and press and win the ball back and not just get up to it, winning headers, landing on second balls, making tackles and blocks, and then, when you're in possession, I think that's where we can show our quality.

“We can get on the ball and play with the press if we need to, play into the front players if we need to and then go and build in-and-around the final third with the quality that we have.

“[The squad] will be similar to what we've been having in the recent weeks because of where we are in terms of injuries and fit players. However, what an opportunity it is for those lads to keep building minutes, especially the Under-16s who have done really well.

“They can keep building minutes and be ready and stake a claim for their shirt moving into next season with good performances. Then, first and second years need to keep building momentum and performing as well.”

Argyle Under-18s suffered defeat to Leyton Orient on Saturday morning after two late goals from the hosts in Buckhurst Hill.

Joe Mwaro’s first-half slotted finish seemed enough to hand the Greens the victory away from home, but two goals in the final stages of the tie, from Dan Carter and Uko Oji, secured three points for Orient.

A back-and-forth affair saw neither side create many chances in front of goal through the opening stages, but it was Argyle who caused the first potential problem in the sun. Fletcher Poole got onto the end of a cross from Mwaro and flicked the ball towards goal, which narrowly spun wide of the post and out for a goal kick.

Just over 10 minutes later, Mwaro gave Argyle the lead. Some tidy build-up play from the Greens ended with the number three picking up the ball inside the area and curling an effort into the bottom corner of the goal past Ethan Pike.

The second half started similarly to the first, with neither side creating any clear chances in front of goal. Leyton Orient came closest through the opening quarter-of-an-hour with Zac Hambury’s flicked shot lofting over the bar and out for a goal kick.

Just after the hour mark, the hosts were reduced to 10 men. Defender Zak O’Keefe was shown a straight red for wrestling Kian Burch to the ground, as the last man. Argyle were notable to capitalise on this, however, and soon found their lead gone.

In the 89th minute, Carter picked up the ball, after Harley Sneap fell to the floor, drove across the box and saw his left-footed shot deflect off Joel Sullivan into the Argyle’s goal.

Four minutes later, Orient had the lead. A through ball was picked up by the charging Oji and he scored past a diving Dan Holman, securing the three points for the home side.

Argyle: 40 Dan Holman, 2 Toby Haley, 3 Joe Mwaro, 4 Harley Sneap, 5 Sam Hayman, 6 Joel Sullivan (capt), 7 Cole Fisher, 8 Sam Lord, 9 Kian Burch, 10 Fletcher Poole, 11 Seb Campbell. Substitutes: 1 Leo McCormick (gk), 12 Toby Maclean, 14 Billy Devlin, 15 Jared Rendle, 16 Frankie Maund.

LEY Leyton Orient

PLY Argyle