Argyle Under-18s suffered a 1-0 defeat on Saturday afternoon to Leyton Orient in the EFL Youth Alliance League South.
Tajuddin Bello’s first-half goal handed the visiting side three points at Millennium Fields, whilst the Greens struggled to find the clinical edge needed in front of goal to get back into the game.
Through the opening 25 minutes, the game was open, with both sides holding possession and creating chances in the final third, through corners or crosses into the box.
Fletcher Poole had success on the right flank, on two occasions, whipping a cross across the face of goal, but to no avail. Joe Mwaro found a touch on the second but could not steer his effort on target.
In the 28th minute, Orient took the lead. A quick counter presented Claudio Nzang a one-on-one opportunity with Jack Flower, but the Argyle goalkeeper did well to deflect his effort wide for a corner.
The set-piece was delivered to the back post, where Bello pushed the ball into the back of the net with his body, after getting around his defender in green.
One could have become two just eight minutes later were it not for Ollie Legg. The defender, making his Under-18s debut, blocked two strikes at goal – within seconds of each other – after the O’s picked off a loose pass at the back from Toby Haley.
Argyle did have chances to get back into the game before the break, but Kian Burch and Frankie Maund could not hit the target and test Ethan Pike.
Head Coach Jamie Lowry turned to his bench at the break, bringing on Malachi Davy and James Sharpe, but it did not work out as hoped.
As the game went on, Argyle were creating more chances in front of goal but could not find the decisive breakthrough to draw level.
In the 75th minute, Sharpe drifted wide and picked out Sam Lord with a cross to the edge of the box. The Argyle midfielder took his time and volleyed cleanly towards goal, but had to watch his shot fly over the bar and out for a goal kick.
Then, the Greens hit the woodwork twice. Legg flicked an effort towards goal with his right foot, from a corner, which ricocheted off the post and back to a teammate. Recycled play then found Burch in the box to head towards goal, but had to watch his attempt hit the top of the bar and out of play.
Tashall Sandhu had a shot blocked in the final stages of the game, somehow, which summed up Argyle’s day in front of the Orient goal, before the full-time whistle was blown.
Lowry said: “I’m very disappointed. We didn’t do enough to get over the line. We had lots of momentum in the game and opportunities in the final third, but lacked a little bit of quality and willingness to get back in the game. We'd huff and puff without really causing enough problems.
“A few lads did really well. Sam [Lord] was excellent for us today, in the middle of the pitch. We lacked intensity and that determination to win a game of football, which is part of why the result ended in the way it did.
“We'll reflect on it and watch it back. The boys will clip it, and we'll review it again on Monday. We just didn’t do enough today, it’s as simple as that.”
Argyle: 1 Jack Flower (gk), 2 Jovan Wamani, 3 Joe Mwaro (capt), 4 Sam Lord, 5 Ollie Legg, 6 Toby Haley (14 Malachi Davy, half-time), 7 Tashall Sandhu, 8 Seb Campbell (15 Oscar Dean, 62), 9 Frankie Maund, 10 Fletcher Poole (16 James Sharpe, half-time), 11 Kian Burch. Substitutes: 23 Tom Armytage (gk), 12 Kye Chapple.
