A youthful Argyle side were beaten 6-1 at the Wyatt Homes Stadium by category one side AFC Bournemouth Under-21s in the Premier League Cup group stage.
The Young Pilgrims took an early lead through Frankie Maund, before the Cherries turned the game around with goals from Eugene Nyarko, four from George Chubinidze and one from Leyland Waite.
Argyle made five changes from the side that last played in the PL Cup against Cardiff City, over a month ago. Jovan Wamani, Alex Hartridge, Jack MacKenzie, Tegan Finn and Maund replaced Joe Mwaro, Joe Edwards, Freddie Issaka, Owen Oseni and James Sharpe.
This meant a back four of Wamani, Sam Hayman, Hartridge and MacKenzie started in front of 15-year-old Thomas Armytage in goal. Finn and Jared Rendle played on the wings, while Joel Tolcher and Seb Campbell continued their midfield partnership, with Maund and TashallSandhu featuring up top.
Despite fielding an Under-18s side with the additions of Hartridge, MacKenzie and Finn, Argyle started well and held their own in the early exchanges.
It was a busy opening 15 minutes, with both sides creating several opportunities. Armytage made an important save to deny Malcolm Dacosta Gonzalez, while Finn forced a goal-saving block from Ethan Sills.
Argyle took the lead in the 22nd minute when Maund dispatched a left-footed penalty down the centre of Allen’s goal, after he sprinted past Sills to win the spot kick.
It was a deserved lead for the Greens, who had certainly had the better opportunities and enjoyed the majority of possession up until that point.
However, Bournemouth responded well, finding an equaliser just three minutes later. Armytage made a good save from Chubinidze’s strike, but the young keeper was unable to stop Nyarko from scoring at the back post.
The Cherries then took the lead as Dane Ndimukum drove into the box from a left-wing position and found Chubinidze in the centre of the box. The winger made no mistake when left with a clear shot at goal and found the back of the net.
Argyle threatened to equalise twice before the break.
First, when Campbell dinked a quick free kick over the top of the hosts defence in search of Maund, but Allan was on call to intercept. Secondly, as Rendle’s shot was blocked following chaos inside the 18-yard box on the brink of half-time.
Again, the Young Pilgrims started the second period brightly and perhaps should have made it 2-2 when Maund created an opportunity for himself, only for his shot to be saved spectacularly by Allan.
But, just nine minutes into the half, Nyarko extended Bournemouth’s lead with an impressive volley following Max Lyall-Rajendra’s pinpoint delivery.
Chubinidze then played a deep cross to find Nyarko who completed his hat-trick and made it 4-1.
Argyle opted to make a double change on the hour mark. Hartridge, who was continuing his return from injury, was replaced by youngster Toby MacLean, while Emran Boudarga-Wischhoff came on for Sandhu.
Nine minutes later Jack MacKenzie and Jovan Wamani were swapped out for Marley-Blu Francis and Dylan Williams, meaning 18-year-old Finn was the oldest Argyle player left on the pitch.
Following the replacements, Nyarko bundled the ball into the back of the net to capitalise on a mix-up at the back and score his fourth of the evening.
Waite added the hosts’ final goal within 60 seconds of entering the pitch, with a long-range strike into the bottom-left corner of Armytage’s net.
The Young Pilgrims gave a good account of themselves against a strong Bournemouth side, who currently sit sixth in the table in their debut Premier League 2 season.
The Cherries have enjoyed wins over the likes of Chelsea and Leicester City so far and look to be strong contenders for the title in the early parts of the 2026/27 season.
Argyle Under-18s will now look to regroup and get back to winning ways against Northampton Town on Saturday as they return to facing teams in their own age category. The Greens have tasted victory in all eight of their EFL Youth Alliance League games so far, scoring 33 goals in the process.
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AFC Bournemouth: 1 Mack Allan, 2 Max Lyall-Rajendra, 3 Alfie Merritt (14 Kevin Arthur, 76), 4 Ethan Sills, 5 Harold William (17 Zachary Sutton, 83), 6 Ameer Ali (15 Jaheim Scafe, 69), 7 George Chubinidze, 8 Malcolm Dacosta Gonzalez (16 Nefeye Osazee, 76), 9 Eugene Nyarko (20 Leyland Waite, 83), 10 Charlie Stevens (capt), 11 Dane Ndimukum. Substitutes: 23 Benjamin Westcott, 12 Joe Spence.
Goals: Nyarko 25, 54, 58, 72, Chubinidze 33, Waite 84
Argyle: 41 Thomas Armytage, 2 Jovan Wamani (15 Dylan Williams, 69), 3 Jack MacKenzie (23 Marley-Blu Francis, 69), 4 Joel Tolcher, 7 Tashall Sandhu (25 Emran Boudarga-Wischhoff, 60), 11 Frankie Maund, 22 Alex Hartridge (17 Toby MacLean, 60), 26 Tegan Finn (20 Billy Devlin, 76), 38 Seb Campbell (capt), 39 Sam Hayman, 42 Jared Rendle. Substitutes: 47 Charlie Pawley (GK), 24 Harry Locke.
Goals: Maund 22
Booked: Wamani 7