Brentford 3 Argyle 1 - Milk Cup

Brentford 3 Argyle 1 - Milk Cup

ARGYLE'S hope of a second consecutive Milk Cup semi-final were dashed by their first defeat in the competition at Parker Avenue, Portrush, as they lost 3-1 to Brentford. 

Brentford, boosted by their imports from Spanish giants Barcelona, proved too strong for a young Argyle outfit despite the Greens leading 1-0 at the interval.

Argyle started well enough, taking a fifth minute lead when Luke Jephcott cut in from the right to fire across Bees' 'keeper Nana Frimpong.

The Argyle top scorer was cursing his luck as the ball came back off the post but fellow striker Aaron Goulty came racing in at the post to fire past a covering defender.

Jepcott's golden touch was still missing as the three-goal striker saw his fierce drive grabbed by Frimpong before he fired another chance straight at the Bees 'keeper.

The youngsters were hit by three goals in a frantic seven minute spell in the second half when Jan Carlos Povedo-Ocampo, recently called up by England under-16s, notched a hat-trick.

His first came when he lost his marker to cut in from the left hand side of the box before firing across Max Childs and inside the far post.

Clever play by Jesus Cruz Cabrera saw him win a penalty from Stuart Lamont's challenge, and Povedo-Ocampo stepped up to convert the spot-kick.

Cabrera was again the architect for the Bees' third, as his low drive was blocked by Childs but his Povedo-Ocampo was on hand to force the ball over the line and claim his hat-trick.

Argyle will shortly find out their finishing position, and therefore which competition they will play in for the remaining fixtures. 

Argyle: Max Childs, Jack Rhead (Jack Crocker), Rio Garside (Jake Hawson), Tom Purrington, Harry Downing, Elliot Crawford, Adam Randell (Oliver Tomlinson),  Luke Jephcott, Aaron Goulty, Isaac Burdon, Stuart Lamont. Substitutes not used: Michael Peck, Joshua Barrett, Jordan Duffey. Kieron Rowe.