Argyle Youth 3 Swindon Town Youth 2

ARGYLE'S youngsters showed good character to snatch all three points from this Football League Youth Alliance League game at Haye Road...

...after the Robins had scored twice, in as many minutes, to level the score late in the game.

The fixture was brought forward 24 hours, to Friday, to help Swindon with their preparations for an impending FA Youth Cup game against Liverpool which meant that victory sent Argyle above their visitors and Oxford United to the top of the South West Conference.

The sparse afternoon crowd were treated to a very entertaining encounter in which the result was in doubt right up to the final whistle.

The young Pilgrims were first to show, taking an 11th minute lead, as Tyler Harvey won the ball on the edge of the Robins area to slip the ball to Matt Lecointe who shrugged off his marker before placing a low shot into the corner of the net past an unsighted Josh Helm in the visitor's goal.

Swindon replied with Curtis da Costa and Matt Jones both denied by fine saves from Christian Walton before the woodwork denied Argyle a second goal on 31 minutes.

Lecointe showed excellent control from James Bradley's long ball before pulling the ball back to Colin Watson whose 20 yard left-footer thundered against Helm's crossbar.

Walton then saved well from Liam Walsh's close range effort before Helm reciprocated as he plucked Andrew Elcock's drive, from a narrow angle out of the air.

Swindon started the second half well with Luke Murden denied by Walton and skipper Alex Ferguson firing wide from close range.

Argyle hit back with River Allen's fine free-kick finding Aaron Bentley free inside the six yard box but he screwed his header across goal and wide.

Harvey then cut in along the left bye-line but his final effort, under the challenge of two defenders, hit the side netting but that was only a short reprieve for the visitors as the home side added their second on 68 minutes.

Allen sent a great ball over the top of the Robin's defence to find Lecointe controlling the ball, with his back to goal, before turning and firing a low shot into the net from 12 yards.

It was now that Swindon enjoyed their best spell of the match and only a great save by Walton denied substitute Saul Kisitu a goal.

The visitors finally pulled a goal back, on 75 minutes, when Ferguson's six yard header flew into the corner of Walton's goal and two minutes later da Costa rose at the far post to head back across the Argyle 'keeper and inside the opposite post to level matters.

To their credit, Argyle hit back and, with a minute remaining, Harvey did well to win the ball at the near post before turning and sending over a cross that substitute Kieron Asamadu-Sakyi (pictured) met with a 12 yard header the flew into the net via the underside of the crossbar.

Argyle: Christian Walton, James Bradley (c), Ben Purrington, Jordan Berry, Nathan Summers (Joshua Hutchinson 55), Aaron Bentley, Colin Watson, River Allen, Tyler Harvey, Matt Lecointe (Solomon Wheatley 79), Andrew Elcock (Kieran Asamadu-Sakyi 73).