Under-18s Report | Argyle 1 Portsmouth 2

Argyle’s Under-18s suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Portsmouth in Saturday afternoon’s Youth Alliance Cup area final.

Joel Sullivan gave the Greens the lead midway through the first half after a set-play, but the visitors fought back and equalised late in the second half when Kevin Bosaka volleyed in from a corner. Pompey would go on to win the game, scoring the winner in the first minute of second-half stoppage time through Sam Folarin.

Jamie Lowry made one change to the side that lost against Exeter City in the Devon derby last time out. This was enforced as Caleb Roberts was on first-team duty, starting against Leeds United in Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup tie. Cole Fisher took his place in midfield.

Freddie Issaka also was on first-team duty so was unavailable for selection.

As you would expect from a game of this importance, both teams had quite cagey and cautious starts, neither wanting to give anything away to the opposition early on.

However, Argyle did have the chance to take the lead early in the game. The Greens short corner routine caused chaos with Portsmouth unable to clear their lines.

Joe Hatch capitalised on this and managed to stab the ball towards goal, forcing a point-blank save from goalkeeper Malachi Osei-Owusu.

Portsmouth showed their threat when they robbed Fin Wilkes of possession in the middle of the park after a brave press. Dan Murray had won the ball and sprayed it wide to Harry Clout who got his head up and fed Connor May through the middle.

May struck the ball first time but failed to hit the target with his effort, much to the relief of Argyle.

Argyle made the visitors pay and broke the deadlock when they took the lead in the 31stminute in the aftermath of a corner.

Sullivan came flying through the air in an attempt to meet the initial cross into the box but missed it, landing at the back post. Hatch did meet the ball and headed on target, forcing Osei-Owusu to palm the ball away from goal but into the path of Sullivan who was now at the post waiting for the rebound and guided it into the empty net.

Just before the interval, Lowry’s side came close to doubling their lead when the Pilgrims threatened on the break.

Hatch raced into the penalty area and forced a strong save from Osei-Owusu. The ball bounced around the six-yard-box and into the path of Finn who would have tapped the ball home had it not been for Bosaka making a last-ditch challenge to prevent the threat.

With Portsmouth yet to really get into the game, Koby Mottoh took matters into his own hands in first-half additional time.

The lively winger danced from the right wing into the box and looked destined to beat Dan Holman to complete what would have been an incredible solo goal.

However, Argyle’s stopper made himself big and got the deftest of touches on Mottoh’s strike to tip it narrowly wide of the post and ensure his side went into the interval in the lead.

It would be the young Greens that made the better start in the second half, putting early pressure on the Portsmouth goal.

Sullivan had a chance to score both his and the team’s second goal of the game when Cole Fisher picked him out in the box with a pinpoint cross.

With the ball just ahead of him, he stuck his leg out and poked the ball towards goal, his effort just looped over the crossbar and landed on the roof of the net.

Josh Bernard was next to take aim for the Pilgrims, he attempted to curl the ball around Osei-Owusu and find the bottom-right corner. The Pompey keeper once again made a critical save to prevent Argyle doubling their lead.

It looked as though Argyle had finally found that elusive second goal when Hatch sent a looping header towards the top-right corner.

With the ball destined for the back of the net, the Portsmouth goalkeeper flew through the air and tipped it over the crossbar, a truly remarkable save.

It was the turn of the Argyle stopper to make a big save when Mottoh cut the ball back to Clout on the edge of the area, Holman using his legs to deny the forward.

Having ridden out numerous waves of Argyle pressure, Portsmouth were clearly lifted and began to turn the screw in search of a way back into the game. It did not take the visitors long after this shift in momentum to level the game.

It would be a corner that undid Lowry’s side, Bosaka being allowed too much space to volley an effort through a cluster of bodies and into the back of the net.

With this goal Portsmouth, continued to build momentum and Argyle looked nervy for this first time in the match.

Holman did all he could to keep the Greens in the game when he pulled of a tremendous triple-save with just five minutes left to play as Portsmouth peppered the goal in search of a winner.

However, there was nothing Argyle’s keeper could do to prevent Folarin from giving the visitors the lead in the 91st minute.

Mottoh glided past Lewis Colwell and Gibbings and made it to the bye-line before cutting the ball back to Folarin, who was not picked up.

The midfielder took his chance, hammering the ball past Holman and into the roof of the net sealing defeat for Argyle and knocking them out of the Youth Alliance Cup.

The Greens will be looking to get back to winning ways next weekend when they travel to Oxford United in the Youth Alliance League.

Argyle: Dan Holman, Lewis Colwell ©, Joel Sullivan, Jack Matthews, Jensen Ireland, Cole Gibbings, Cole Fisher, Fin Wilkes, Joe Hatch (Kieran Edworthy 79), Tegan Finn, Josh Bernard. Substitutes not used: Toby Haley, Sam Lord, Henry Donovan, Jack Flower.