Argyle Under-18s started 2026 in the best possible way, picking up three points with a 3-1 victory over Bristol Rovers on Saturday afternoon.
Goals from Billy Devlin, Frankie Maund, and Joe Hatch propelled the Greens to victory at Millennium Fields over the visiting Gas.
The Greens had a few new names in the starting XI this weekend due to the return of Harry Shield and Lewis Flowers from injury, and first-year pro Joe Hatch being involved as one of three allowed Under-19s players in any league match-day squad.
After a slow start to the game, Argyle began to hunt for the opening goal and seemed the side that would find the back of the net first through their constant attacking threat.
Tidy team play set up a chance for Devlin and Maund, both arriving in the box, to try and turn the cross towards goal, but the ball across the area was too powerful and was cleared away by Rovers.
The final 15 minutes of the half was all Argyle. Devlin and Hatch had the best of the chances, but, again, it wasn’t enough to put Jamie Lowry’s side in pole position ahead of the break, with Hatch’s effort ricocheting off the post before being cleared away by the visitors, and Devlin’s attempt being over the bar.
Lowry made one change at the break with Flowers replacing Shield, and though it might not have made the attacking impact, calmness on the ball at the back led to Argyle’s opening goal.
A quick attack won the Greens a corner. Poole delivered the ball along the floor to Devlin on the edge of the box, and the midfielder’s strike found its way into the back of the net via a deflection, putting Argyle ahead.
Hatch came close just two minutes later with a header at the back post, but put it wide, and soon enough, Rovers nearly had an equaliser out of nowhere. Jay Horgan’s well-hit strike from around 25 yards out was superbly pushed past the post by Jack Flower, keeping the game in favour of the Devon side.
One minute after the hour mark, one became two. Tidy build-up play again from Argyle ended with a left-footed finish from Maund into the far corner, doubling the lead. Just seven minutes later, Hatch finally had his goal.
The Welsh forward peeled away from his marker to be free at the back post and headed home, after Tashall Sandhu’s delivery perfectly picked him out.
Rovers managed to get one back through Louie Carr in the dying minutes of the game, but Argyle saw the remaining minutes out and ensured a positive start to 2026.
Head Coach Jamie Lowry said: “A really good start to the year. Great to get the game on and have such a pleasing performance. We haven’t had a match since the Watford game, which is probably four and a bit weeks ago now, so to get some minutes in legs again and off to a winning start is great.
“We expected that the boys would tire a little bit, but we wanted them to empty the tank. I thought their quality, decision making, and the energy in and out of possession were excellent.
“We always say this - we defend as a team and attack as a team. It's important. Everyone's got key roles to play in the side, and I thought there were some really good performances at the top end of the pitch. We had the threat from wide areas, with some good deliveries in the box, as well.
“Obviously, the pitch wasn't great. We knew it wasn't going to be, us playing 10-15 passes and switching play all the time, and it probably had to be us getting half a yard and balls in the box. Playing the front two as well probably helped and enabled that a little bit, but there were some good bits of play and some real positive performances today.”
Argyle: 1 Jack Flower, 2 Harry Shield (12 Lewis Flowers, 46), 3 Malachi Davy, 4 Billy Devlin, 5 Sam Hayman, 6 Toby Maclean, 7 Tashall Sandhu, 8 Sam Lord (capt), 9 Frankie Maund, 10 Joe Hatch (15 Trialist B, 79), 11 Fletcher Poole (16 Kian Burch, 62). Substitutes: 23 Leo McCormick (gk), Trialist A.
