Good to be Green
AFTER watching the senior Argyle side record an excellent 3-0 win over Bury, Derek Adams took time to praise his youth team for the FA Cup exploits, stressing the importance of success throughout the club.
A handful of the hours before goals from Toumani Diagouraga, Graham Carey and Antoni Sarcevic gave Argyle a comfortable win at Home Park, a squad of young Pligrims went searching for more FA Youth Cup glory. After seeing off Manchester City in the previous round, Kevin Hodges’ Greens defeated another Premier League side in the form of Burnley, thanks to a stoppage time goal from Billy Craske.
Unsurprisingly, Adams kept a close eye on the cup tie on Friday night and, along with heaping praise on the boys, emphasised the significance of the entire football club progressing – not just the men’s first team.
“It was great for them to progress to the last 16,” said Adams. “They’ve performed very well over the last two games against Man City and Burnley – teams that are in the Premier League.
“Michael Cooper, who was on the bench today, had a fantastic performance last night. I’m delighted for them all and, hopefully over the next three or four years, we can see them in the first team.
“I think that it helps that everybody’s doing well. The women’s team is doing well as well, and I think that’s important.”
It says something that the senior team’s outstanding run of form, that has seen them rise to the top half of the Sky Bet League One table, is not the only good news story doing the rounds at Home Park. Still, the team’s superb set of results over Christmas and New Year are showing their true potential – and that a little down-time before next weekend’s trip to Doncaster Rovers is well deserved.
“I think we’ve shown that we have a good group of players. The ones in the game today have got the jersey and they’re performing well.
“The players have got very good confidence about them, with the way they pass the ball and control it. They controlled the game for large spells, created umpteen opportunities today, and we should’ve scored more.
“We’re happy to take the break. I think we’ve been through a busy period and the players have been very focused over that period. Their fitness levels are very good; they’ve had a couple of days rest this week and they looked refreshed.”