Rovers 4-1 Torquay
Our U-18 side registered their first win of the season last Saturday, thanks to goals from Ryan Broom, Jay Malpas, Laurent Davis-Wilson and Isaac Pearce.Youth Team Manager Alan Walsh was delighted with the way his side played and felt that the winning margin could have been far greater.
"It was a big improvement on our previous games and, given the chances we created in the first half especially, my only criticism would be that we could have been more clinical in front of goal.
"Nevertheless the lads are to be congratulated because they did put in a shift and worked really hard.
"Now, hopefully, we can push on and if we can maintain the standard of this performance over the course of the season then it will stand us in good stead."
Hard work on the training ground over the last few weeks appears to have paid off.
"We have worked on technical and tactical aspects of our play, whilst not neglecting the physical side of our work and we looked strong, sharp, and fit."
His side scored two early goals.
"Jay Malpas and Ryan Broom gave a us a two goal lead inside 25 minutes and while we had a number of chances to increase our lead we didn't take them.
"Six minutes before half time we gave away an unnecessary free kick on the edge of our box, from which Torquay pulled a goal back.
"We restored our two goal advantage straight from the restart when the assistant referee saw a push on Ryan Broom in the Torquay area which resulted in us being awarded a penalty and that was slotted away by Laurent Davis-Wilson.
"In the second half we didn't create as many chances as we had in the opening period and only scored one more, through substitute Isaac Pearce. One of our schoolboys, he looked bright and finished with a shot into the far corner.
"Kieran Preston, who made his first appearance of the season for us, was seldom tested. He links up with the Scottish U-19 squad again this weekend. We hope he gets more game time for his country and everyone in the Academy would like to congratulate him on his selection."
Team: Kieran Preston, Tyler Lyttle, Tom Fry, Louis Ezwele, Bradley Confrey (Alfie Kilgour, 70), Jay Malpas, Elliott Green (Tom Jones, 62), Connor Jones, Ryan Broom, Laurent Davis-Wilson (Isaac Pearce, 60), George Corp.
Substitutes: Clarke Cameron, Callum Bingham