Argyle Under-18s suffered a 4-2 defeat to Cheltenham Town on Saturday morning, in just their second game since mid-December.
The EFL Youth Alliance South match started well for the Robins and continued throughout the 90, with Archie Hill’s hat-trick and Mark Barber’s goal handing the hosts three points in Gloucestershire.
Argyle’s goals came from a Barber own-goal and a Tashall Sandhu strike but it was not enough to change the outcome on a cloudy Saturday morning.
Within 10 minutes of kick-off, Cheltenham took the lead. Barber wheeled away from his defender, creating room at the back post, and rather fortuitously found the ball at his feet to rifle home, following a corner.
Seven minutes later, the Robins were awarded a penalty and doubled their lead through Hill’s conversion from the spot.
Hill scored his second of the game in the 23rd minute, to make it 3-0, and Argyle could have conceded the game there and then, but a small fightback ensued. Fletcher Poole’s corner was turned into his own goal by Barber, bringing the Greens back into the match.
It could easily have been four for the hosts just before the half-time whistle, but a superb double save from Jack Flower kept the scoreline down.
The second 45 minutes were very much like the first. Jamie Lowry’s side had a few chances in front of goal, but none to really test Cheltenham.
Hill scored his third - Cheltenham’s fourth - in the 82nd minute, taking the game out of Argyle’s reach.
Sandhu’s left-footed effort from outside the box in the dying minutes of the match shortened the hosts’ lead, but it was not enough.
Head Coach Lowry said: “Our overall performance was actually okay. We just didn’t have enough desire to defend our goal in the key moments. They had limited chances, but took them – a set piece, a penalty, and two counter-attacking goals. We didn't do very well with them.
“We had lots of good play and the majority of the ball, but just lacked that cutting edge when we needed it in front of goal. It was only our second game in two-and-a-bit months, though, so it's important that the boys build again leading into Exeter.”
Argyle: 1 Jack Flower, 2 Harry Shield (capt) (15 Frankie Maund, 66), 3 Trialist A, 4 Billy Devlin, 5 Sam Hayman, 6 Lewis Flowers, 7 Tashall Sandhu, 8 Trialist B (17 Jared Rendle, 77), 9 Fletcher Poole, 10 Tegan Finn, 11 Malachi Davy. Substitutes: 23 Leo McCormick (gk), 12 Dylan Williams, 14 Trialist C.
Goals: Own-goal 33, Sandhu 90+1.
Yellow cards: Flower 17, Poole 36, Shield 58, Trialist A 59.
