Issaka catches the eye in victory at Torquay

HARDIE AND MUMBA ON TARGET ON A HOT DAY AT PLAINMOOR

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

TALENTED teenager Freddie Issaka will get the chance to compete for a first-team place at Plymouth Argyle in the Championship this season, according to head coach Wayne Rooney.

Issaka, who celebrates his 18th birthday tomorrow (Sunday), earned praise from Rooney for his performance in the 2-0 pre-season win away to Torquay United at a sold-out Plainmoor. The academy graduate played an attacking wide right role in Argyle’s 4-2-3-1 formation before he was one of 10 players who were all substituted in the 60th minute.

The first half was goalless and a stop-start affair, with a couple of lengthy breaks in play due to medical incidents among the crowd in the ‘Pop Side’ of Plainmoor, with two people separately stretchered away.

Argyle had to wait until the 50th minute to open the scoring, when Ryan Hardie scored from the penalty spot after midfielder Will Jenkins Davies had been fouled following a brilliant run and cut-back by Issaka. Bali Mumba then extended on the hour mark with an angled finish after a shot from Callum Wright had been parried away by Torquay goalkeeper James Hamon.

Rooney said: “It was a strange first half with the game being stop-start. I hope everyone who had issues are okay and healthy. It was tough to get a tempo and a rhythm into the game.