Milk Cup - Argyle 1 Donegal SL 0

A very young Argyle side achieved the start that their coaches asked of them with this gritty performance at Castle Rock in their opening game of this year's Dale Farm Milk Cup.

A second half goal from Luke Jephcott was enough to give Argyle an opening win in a competition in which they reached the semi-finals of last year. 

The Pilgrims' Irish opponents proved a tough, physical nut to crack but Argyle's second half performance made them worthy winners in a very tight encounter in which both goalkeepers pulled out superb saves.

Argyle's Jack Crocker played in a left wing cross that found Aaron Goulty, who headed just wide, before Luke Jephcott saw his fine header superbly tipped over the bar.

The Greens owed a vote of thanks to goalkeeper Max Childs for his brilliant stoppage time save from a deflected drive that looked destined to sneak inside the far post, and it was goalless at the break. 

The Pilgrims management plunged youngster Rio Garside into the action for the second half and his prompting, from left back, unhinged the Donegal defence. It was his cross that led to Argyle's winner seven minutes after the restart; his cross found Stuart Lamont, who sent in a shot that was once again pushed away by Eoin O'Boyle.

The loose ball ran to Jephcott, and although the striker's first time drive was blocked on the line, he reacted in a flash to crash the ball across goal and inside the far post.

Argyle will now meet Chilean outfit Santa Marta de Liray on Tuesday, July 28, at Rugby Avenue, Coleraine.

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