Under-18s Report | Swindon Town 1 Argyle 3

Argyle’s Under-18s scored three on the road as they saw off Swindon Town in a top-of-the-table clash in the Youth Alliance League on Tuesday afternoon.

Joe Hatch continued his rich vein of goalscoring form, putting the Greens ahead early on before Josh Bernard made it two just minutes later. Swindon hit back on the stroke of half-time through full-back Joel McGregor, before Tegan Finn sealed the victory midway through the second period, scoring his sixth of the season.

Jamie Lowry named an unchanged side from Saturday’s win against Forest Green Rovers. Fin Wilkes and Henry Donovan both returned to the bench.

With both teams occupying the top two spots of the Youth Alliance League, it was no surprise that the game had a very cagey start, neither side wanting to give anything away early on.

The Robins had the first real chance of the game when Botan Ameen drifted wide and stood a cross up to the back post where Josh Keyes was waiting. Bernard had got back well to block the headed effort, diverting it away from goal allowing Jensen Ireland to clear.

The hosts built momentum as the half continued, Conor Britchford-Stanley the next to take aim at the Argyle goal.

However, Lowry’s side got themselves back into the game and took the lead just before the half-hour mark.

Quick thinking from Bernard meant a throw was taken on the left-flank before Swindon had set up defensively. Cole Gibbings took advantage of this, whipping a pinpoint ball into the heart of Swindon’s penalty area.

Hatch had found space between Fin Adams and Logan Coles, guiding a header beyond the grasp of Redman Evans and into the top-right corner. It was a confident finish from the striker, who now has seven goals in his last three games.

Hatch himself had the chance to double both his and the team's tally for the afternoon, moments later. McGregor had unintentionally played the striker through on goal with his heavy challenge on Bernard, and Hatch's volleyed effort narrowly cleared the crossbar.

Argyle did finally manage to double their lead seven minutes after scoring their first when Bernard took aim from just inside the box.

Hatch had wriggled his way into the box before being challenged by Ali Stewart. Now on the ground, he poked the ball back to Joel Sullivan who teed up Bernard to take a touch and curl the ball into the bottom-left corner with a well-executed reverse finish.

Two quickfire goals for the young Greens seemed to have taken the sting out of Swindon’s tail, Lowry’s side dominating the possession for the remainder of the first half.

However, the Wiltshire side gave Argyle something to ponder over at the break when they halved the deficit on the stroke of half-time.

Dan Holman had come racing off his goal-line to challenge Keyes who had broken into the box, the midfielder got a shot away which cannoned off the Argyle keeper and to Miles Obodo on the right wing.

He looked up and found Ameen in the six-yard box, who had an effort blocked on the line by Ireland, this then fell to McGregor who put his foot through the ball, and it found its way through a sea of bodies and into the back of the net.

Argyle were at their best in the opening exchanges of the second period. Bernard, Sullivan and Sam Lord all combined in a move that would have been a goal of the season contender had Hatch been able to finish it off.

Swindon threatened on the break, Gibbings preventing Britchford-Stanley from levelling the game with a well-timed interception.

With the game slipping away from the hosts, they made a double change introducing Harley Hunt and Liam Hutt. This gave them a new lease of life, their best chance coming when Obodo came close to picking the pocket of Jack Matthews in a dangerous area.

Crucially, Lowry’s side were clinical and halted any momentum Swindon had, restoring their two-goal cushion in the 66th minute.

Relentless pressing from Matthews and Cole Fisher proved too much for Ant McCormick and Jaxon Brown, the latter gifting the ball to Finn who found himself one-on-one.

Finn showed great composure to sit the keeper down and pass the ball into the bottom-left corner, a critical goal in the course of the game.

The home side just would not lie down and probably should have got one back a few minutes later when Obodo found himself with just Holman to beat, but poked his effort narrowly wide of the post.

Swindon had goalkeeper Evans to thank for keeping them in the game, as he did well to smother two efforts from Finn.

Argyle could have scored another when Finn capitalised on a mistake at the back from McCormick.

One-on-one, with Hatch to his left, Finn opted to go alone, Evans once again with a crucial save. Hatch will have felt aggrieved to not have received the pass with a tap-in on offer if he did.

The Greens were not made to pay, though, and saw out the remaining minutes with minimal drama, securing their fourth win in a row.

That will not be on the minds of Lowry and the players however, as a Devon derby against Exeter City awaits on Saturday morning, yet another crucial game for the young Greens in their quest to top the Youth Alliance League.

Argyle: Dan Holman, Lewis Colwell, Joel Sullivan, Jensen Ireland, Jack Matthews, Cole Gibbings, Cole Fisher (Toby Haley 82), Sam Lord, Joe Hatch, Josh Bernard, Tegan Finn (Henry Donovan 82). Substitutes not used: Fin Wilkes.