YOUTH team leading marksman Toby Davis's nineteenth goal of the season stretched our youngsters' lead over the Swans, their nearest challengers in the Puma Youth Alliance South-west Conference, to fourteen points.

This was the Young Pilgrims' fourteenth win of their eighteen-match campaign - they've drawn three and lost only one of their games - and took the runaway league winners' points tally to forty-five out of a possible fifty-four.

Swindon Town, who like Argyle have now completed their fixtures, are level on points with Swansea and possess a superior goal difference, but the Welsh club only need to secure a draw from their one remaining game against Hereford United, to clinch second place.

Despite the impressive statistics, however, the truth is that our youngsters probably saved their worst performance of the season for this final league fixture, against what was effectively the Swans' 'second' youth team, as they were also playing Cardiff City the following day in the Welsh F.A. Youth Cup Final at Ninian Park.

The wide open pitch at St Helens and fine weather made the circumstances ideal for Argyle to exploit the passing style of play head of youth coaching Mike Pejic has tried to instil in them.

But they struggled to contain their eager, if inexperienced, opponents, despite Davis giving the Young Pilgrims an early boost with his 11^th minute goal - the dapper Cornish teenager reacting quickly to snap up the rebound after Swansea's 'keeper had parried his fierce initial shot.

In fact, it probably was only after Pej's protégées were reduced to ten men in the 54^th minute, when centre-back Ashley Hodgkinson received his second red card of the season for violent conduct, they began to shake themselves out of their lethargy.

With midfielder Shane Duggan dropping back into defence, hard-working striker Davis playing deeper, and right winger Joe Mason thriving in more of a roving role, our youngsters at last began to show glimpses of the quality football they are capable of producing.

But Pej remained disappointed: "They'll have to play better on Wednesday when the manager will be watching them at Liskeard," he warned, referring to the friendly against Liskeard Athletic's South West Peninsular Premier League team at Lux Park (ko 7.30pm).

The match has been specially-arranged so Paul Sturrock can finally decide which of the six remaining second-year apprentices will be promoted to the professional ranks next season.

Meanwhile, thoughts are beginning to turn to next season, and Pej will be taking next season's youth team to Academy club Southampton for an Under-17 friendly at their Staplewood training ground on Saturday morning, ko 11am.

And our apprentices will continue in full-time training for almost another four weeks - until May 20 - and, after a five week break, they will return to Home Park on June 30 to begin their pre-season preparations.

Our Centre of Excellence schoolboys face an even busier summer, attending coaching sessions two or three evenings each week, without any break, taking advantage of the warm, light summer evenings and grass pitches, which are so much more conducive to effective coaching than the often wet winter sessions on floodlit artificial pitches.

Some of the schoolboys have additionally been selected to take part in a new weights and conditioning programme, which takes place on Monday and Wednesday evenings in the new youth weights gym at Home Park, under the supervision of Paul Dean.

And a mixed group of under-15 and under-14 boys are off to Latvia on May 28 for a tournament against the international teams of Latvia and Belarus, in preparation for their participation in the prestigious Northern Ireland Milk Cup international tournament during the week commencing July 28.

The Youth department will be working hard during the summer months to enhance the development of potential stars of the future for Argyle!

ROLL OF HONOUR - PLYMOUTH ARGYLE YOUTH TEAM - SEASON 2007/08:

(Includes F.A. Youth Cup and Youth Alliance Cup but not St. Luke's Bowl games)

Appearances: Shane White 27+1s, Ryan Brett, Ashley Hodgkinson 27, Brian McCaul 26, Damien McCrory 23, Bobby Hopkinson 22+1s, Jarred Stevens 21+4s, Toby Davis 20+3s, Lloyd Saxton 20, Shane Duggan 17, Joe Mason 15+10s, Tom King 15, Greg Moseley 14+4s, Michal Misiewicz 10, Lewis Edwards 9+12s, Josh Grant 8+11s, Ben Gerring 8+10s, Ashley Barnes 8+2s, Sean Kinsella, Chinowa Troupe 3+1s, Jordan Trott 2+2s, Liam Head 1+2s, Dan Gosling 1, Tom Moody -+2s.

Goals: Toby Davis 19, Damien McCrory 13, Jarred Stevens 12, Joe Mason 9, Shane Duggan, Shane White 7, Ashley Barnes, Josh Grant, Ashley Hodgkinson 5, Bobby Hopkinson 3, Lewis Edwards, Brian McCaul 2, Tom King, Greg Moseley, Liam Head 1.