Craske's Palace Reaction

In a whirlwind week for 19-year-old Finley Craske, he has been part of two Argyle fixtures, racking up more minutes for the Pilgrims than he did in shirt of another shade of green this season.

Prior to Argyle’s trip to Milton Keynes Dons on Saturday, Craske was recalled from a frustrating loan spell at Yeovil Town, and put straight into the squad at Stadium MK, where he appeared as a late sub in a 4-1 win.

On Tuesday night, Craske started and played over an hour in a match against Crystal Palace Under-21s in the Papa Johns Trophy, which Argyle would eventually win 1-0 thanks to a late Niall Ennis goal.

At Yeovil, Craske was given little opportunity, but when speaking to Argyle TV in the wake of the win against Palace which sent Argyle through to the next round of the competition, showed commendable maturity to put it behind him, take the positives out of the situation, and look forward.

“It was really good to be back out there,” he said. “I haven’t played many minutes since the start of the season, it was good to get an hour out there.

“I loved it [at Yeovil]. Everyone there was really nice, but that last step of getting on the pitch – I could never make it on. It was frustrating.

“It’s a good level. Training was good, because you have players who have come from higher up down into that league. It was good to get some experience of proper men’s football.

“All the coaches and lads were lovely, but it just didn’t happen for me.”

It happened for Argyle against Palace – eventually. The game failed to spark into life in a sluggish first half, but the Greens lifted it after the break, with several senior players coming off the bench to assist some more youthful members of the squad, who will doubtless have learned plenty from the experience.

Indeed, the victory means at least one more game in the Trophy, and that players such as Finley, and others have the opportunity to get more game time.

“The first half was a bit slow,” he said, “everyone getting used to being on the ball, and being in a different team. In the second half we got the ball moving and a few of the stronger, more experienced players came on and made a big difference.

“That completely changed it, and then we got the goal at the end which was good.

“It’s very important for everyone, especially when you are not getting many minutes. It’s really good to get on and get some match fitness up, because you never know when you are going to get called upon.

“[The gaffer has said] to keep my head down, keep working hard because you never know what opportunities may come.”