Argyle v Stoke Gabriel SWL (five-goal Fletcher)

Graham Carey played the whole game when Plymouth Argyle beat Stoke Gabriel 12-0 in the South West Peninsula League on Wednesday.

Carey was able to get a run-out in the Premier Division clash, which was played at Coach Road, Newton Abbot, despite his current three-match ban at first team level.

The midfield playmaker was sent-off when the Pilgrims lost 1-0 to MK Dons in League One last weekend and had to sit out the 3-1 defeat by Blackpool on Tuesday.

Carey will also miss the trip to Bury on Saturday as well as the visit of Doncaster Rovers to Home Park on September 23.
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Suspensions in the EFL do not apply in South West Peninsula League so Argyle boss Derek Adams included Carey in the squad against Stoke Gabriel.

Alex Fletcher, the promising 18-year-old striker, scored five of the goals for the Pilgrims, all in the first hour of the match before he was substituted.

There was a hat-trick for Ruben Lameiras, Alex Battle netted twice and there was a goal apiece for Lionel Ainsworth and Jakub Sokolik.

Recently-signed goalkeeper Kyle Letheren played for the first time since starting his second spell with the Pilgrims.

Argyle had eight first team squad members in their starting line-up against Stoke Gabriel, plus professional development players Battle and Aaron Taylor, and apprentice Ryan Law.

Adams said: “It was a good game. Everybody came through it well.

“I was delighted with the all the senior players because they help the younger players in these games.

Adams did not want to draw any conclusions about individual performances, such as that of five-goal Fletcher, because of the standard of the opposition.

“These games are just about fitness for the players,” said the Pilgrims’ boss.

“We know the standard is not what it is in reserve team football, or first team football but it’s just good for them to get some minutes under their belt.”

Argyle: Kyle Letheren; Aaron Taylor, Callum Rose, Jakub Sokolik, Ryan Law; Alex Battle, Graham Carey; Lionel Ainsworth, Ruben Lameiras, Gregg Wylde; Alex Fletcher.

If I were running the SWL, I would kick Argyle out of the competition next season. Their participation and the way it has now developed with a virtual first team out for a bit of fitness, just devalues the whole league and is a total lack of respect of good honest competition. If anything, it's worse than the premier clubs sending their youngsters out against EFL clubs in the league cup or whatever it is called. Get rid of these obvious mis-matches that treat those on the receiving end as suckers. Argyle out !

agreed

beesrus wrote:

If I were running the SWL, I would kick Argyle out of the competition next season. Their participation and the way it has now developed with a virtual first team out for a bit of fitness, just devalues the whole league and is a total lack of respect of good honest competition. If anything, it's worse than the premier clubs sending their youngsters out against EFL clubs in the league cup or whatever it is called. Get rid of these obvious mis-matches that treat those on the receiving end as suckers. Argyle out !

we entered a reserve competition this season aswell playing league clubs so i agree there is no point in us playing in this lower standard competition when it benefits no one.

It does seem that the quality of the side we put out varies dramatically from game to game which is unfair on the rest of the league. If we are to continue in the Peninsula league, the league should put some sort of limit on the squad we can pick (e.g. no more than 3 over 23's) to ensure you don't get instances where effectively half the team are first professional players.

Carey played then? Theres me thinking a bans a ban from all levels of football