Argyle 1 Co. Fermanagh 0

ARGYLE bounced back from their opening Milk Cup defeat with a thoroughly deserved victory over County Fermanagh.

The Argyle coaches had asked for a response from their young side after their defeat by Strikers and the certainly got their reply as this inexperience side battle to get off the mark in their year's competition.

Once again Argyle started strongly, creating a great chance after just two minutes when a fine crossfield pass by Jake Miller, pictured, found Alex Fletcher out wide on the right.

He, in turn, fed Tyler Tonkin who  burst into the Fermanagh area to send in a low shot that goalkeeper Jordan Coalter saved with his feet before Tonkin sent his follow-up flew in to the side-netting.

Coalton was in action again three minutes later, as he dived bravely at the feet of Alex Battle who then cut in from the right, only to shoot straight at the Fermanagh ‘keeper.

The young Pilgrims continued to push their opponents back and impressive full-back Jack Calver outflanked the right side of the Fermanagh defence to send in a cracking angled drive that flew just wide of Coalter’s far post.

Fermanagh’s first chance came on the quarter-hour but Jordan Stidson, who had a commanding day in the Argyle goal, made a fine save as Conor McGee burst clear.

Stidson’s confident handling of several crosses certainly helped the Argyle defence grow in confidence and that was Fermanagh’s only real chance of the first half which ended with Daniel Rooney’s superb run through the middle to force a great save out of Coalter.

Argyle continued to dominate their more experienced and physically developed opponents in the second half when Calver’s 20 yard free kick curling just wide of the far post only minutes after the restart.

Sensing that Fermanagh were there for the taking. Argyle coach Chris Souness introduced Jason Vincent as a half time substitute and followed that by bringing on Dario Pisano nine minutes in.

Pisano’s introduction proved to be a master stroke as the blond haired 15-year-old from Cornwall proceeded to terrorise the Fermanagh defence.

His first touch saw him shoot in to the side-netting before racing down the left flank and sending a low ball across to Miller. The classy midfielder, from St Budeaux in Plymouth, let fly with a low drive, from the edge of the box, that brought the save of the game out of Coalter.

The diminutive Henry Wilson, who won several balls in the air despite his lack of inches, combined with Miller to set up Rooney to fire just wide from 18 yards and it was Wilson whose looping header then forced a save out of Coalter.

Good play by Vincent then set up Jack Richards to blast wide from 20 yards before the all-important goal arrived with two minutes of normal time remaining.

Henry won yet another header in midfield to help on Stidson’s goalkick and Pisano raced into the area, holding off the challenge of a well-built Fermanagh defender, to provide a cool and calculated finish inside the near post to sent the hardy  band of travelling Argyle faithful in to prolonged celebrations.

Argyle: Jordan Stidson; Jordan Bentley, Jack Calver (Jamil Roberts 59), Oliver Gardner, Tyler Tonkin (Jason Richards (46), Daniel Rooney, Alex Fletcher (Dario Pisano 38), Jake Miller, Henry Wilson, Ryan Debbs, Alex Battle (Jason Vincent h-t). Substitutes (not used): Michael Cooper, Sam Morgan, Sam Ryan.