MANAGER Paul Sturrock was an interested spectator at Oxford University's Ifley Road sports ground as an under-strength Youth team slumped to the first defeat of their Puma Youth Alliance league season.

Head of youth coaching Mike Pejic was forced to field an under-17 team for this under-18 game, with five of our eight second-year apprentices, goalkeeper Lloyd Saxton, right back Shane White, central midfielder Shane Duggan, left winger Damien McCrory and striker Toby Davis in the Reserves' starting line-up for the evening game at Forest Green.

The other three second-year apprentices were not available for selection, as striker Jarred Stevens is still out with a broken thumb, midfielder Bobby Hopkinson has signed a two-year contract for Tiverton and right back Tom King has returned to his County Mayo home to try his luck in the League of Ireland.

Our youngsters produced a slightly disappointing performance, and paid a heavy price for their failure to make the most of the many scoring opportunities they created throughout the game.

Oxford took the lead midway through the second half with a freak goal scored direct from a corner, and then, with the Young Pilgrims pressing desperately for an equaliser, they were caught out by a breakaway counter-attack in the last minute of injury time for the second goal.

Immediately after the final whistle, Paul Sturrock drove three of the first-year apprentices, who had all played the entire 90 minutes at Oxford to Forest Green to help out with the Reserve team - striker Joe Mason playing for the first 55 minutes and scoring the opening goal in our 2-1 win; midfielder Brian McCaul replacing Mason for the final 35 minutes; and left back Ryan Brett being an unused substitute.

With three games left to their season, our youngsters remain nine points clear of their nearest challengers, Swansea City, and have a superior goal difference, but the Young Swans do have a game in hand.

They have a home game against Hereford United on Saturday, when Plymouth Parkway's Bolitho Park will be available to stage the match (ko 11am) - thereby giving supporters a rare opportunity to see our youngsters in action here in Plymouth.

They are also playing at Bolitho Park the following Saturday (April 19) against Swindon Town (ko 11am), so supporters could take in that game on their way to the first-team's Championship clash with Preston North End at Home Park - before finishing their campaign with a potential title-decider at Swansea on April 26 (ko 11am).