A Luke Jephcott double helped Plymouth come from behind to snatch a late 2-1 victory against Colina at Rugby Avenue.
The striker’s curled effort with three minutes left on the whistle put Plymouth into the lead for the first time and was enough to secure the victory.
Plymouth fell behind inside 14 minutes after a spectacular 35-yard lob from Colina’s Patrico Romero cannoned in off the post.
However, goal-hero Jephcott levelled the scores 38 minutes into play after his finely-struck penalty whistled into the bottom corner.
Plymouth have now won both of their Junior Section matches after beating Donegal SL 1-0 yesterday. Colina are still searching for a victory after they were defeated 2-0 by USA side Strikers.
The Chilean side nearly conceded an early goal with just three minutes played if it wasn’t for a remarkable clearance from Banjamin Lira. The defender managed to slide the ball away from danger after Jephcott exploited a mix-up in defence and tried to trickle the ball in from a tight angle.
Colina then started to create chances of their own with tricky winger Rodolfo Fernandez causing the most problems down the right-hand side.
Plymouth hit back with quick counter-attacks which resulted in Jephcott flashing a 10th minute effort just wide of the post.
Colina broke the deadlock after Captain Romero found himself with space just inside the Plymouth half, he chipped an audacious strike which bounced in off the inside post despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to it.
Plymouth tried to level before half-time but were unable to break through. However, it only took eight minutes into the second half to get their first goal. Josh Barrett was brought down in the box and Jephcott converted the penalty low into the keeper’s right corner.
With the game finely poised, each team were unable convert their chances until three minutes from the final whistle when Jephcott stole the three points. He was slipped in and beat his man, before finishing superbly passed a stranded goalkeeper.
ENDS
Words – Nathan Webb