Argyle Under-18s have been preparing for their second away trip in a row this week, as a journey to Wales to face Newport County awaits them on Saturday.
Last weekend, Billy Devlin’s goal was the game’s decider at Hartpury College against Forest Green Rovers, helping Argyle claim three points in just their third game since mid-December.
Newport have struggled this season, winning just one of their 18 games so far, and lost when making the journey down to Devon in November.
Fletcher Poole’s six-minute brace and a close-range goal from Tashall Sandhu were enough on that day for Jamie Lowry’s side to come away with three points, with County adding a consolation goal late into the match.
Head Coach Lowry credited his side’s performance in Gloucestershire last weekend and week-long build-up to the game on Saturday, but knows that if things go their way, Newport can cause Argyle issues on the road.
“Last weekend was a really good performance and probably deserved more than the 1-0 scoreline,” Lowry told Argyle TV. “We created lots of chances but weren’t as clinical as we liked to be. Our general play from box to box was excellent. We were tidy and created lots of chances. The next step is simply being a little cleaner and more clinical in front of goal, but we’ve had a go at addressing that in training this week.
“We've worked on our finishing phase to be cleaner in what we're trying to do, whether it's the finish, movement, delivery, or cutbacks in and around goal. Hopefully, that will come out a little bit better on Saturday, and we keep building on the performance to make sure we’re out of sight, rather than one moment or mistake changing the game.
“We said towards the end of the game that you could tell the boys were tired and fatigued, but that is just down to general match minutes and sharpness throughout this calendar year.
“The boys have been fantastic in training and push themselves all the time, so overall there have been loads of positives take from Saturday and this week in training ahead of the Newport game.
“They’re pretty good at home, but it’s just important that we go and build on Saturday's performance. We were the dominant team and had lots more of the ball than Forest Green, and that's something I want to take into the game in Wales.
“I expect us to be in controlling possession and calm, but at the same time, out of possession, we need to be aggressive, press the ball, win it high up the pitch, and be a bit more clinical in front of goal to get a result.”
