ACADEMY manager Joe Roach felt a shift in momentum had been a key factor in Cherries’ entertaining 2-2 draw with Merit League One rivals Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

Cherries, bidding to follow up their 4-2 win over Peterborough United in their opening fixture in the competition, twice surrendered the lead against the Pilgrims at Canford School.

The teams locked horns for the third time this season with Plymouth having finished as runners-up to Cherries in the south west division of the Youth Alliance.

And having won 4-1 in Devon in August, Cherries were forced to settle for the same 2-2 scoreline from when the teams had met in Dorset in December.

Henry Lander’s excellent headed opener following a 38th-minute corner gave Cherries the lead after both teams had created a series of first-half chances.

Plymouth hit back on the stroke of half-time when Northern Ireland youth international Louis Rooney finished with aplomb to make it 1-1.

Cherries quickly regained the initiative after the break when Sam Matthews slotted past Plymouth goalkeeper Cory Harvey from close range in the 47th minute.

However, after Cherries goalkeeper Pat O’Flaherty had pulled off a smart save to keep out Rooney’s 30-yarder, Jason Vincent was on hand to convert the loose ball to make it 2-2.

Neither team could fashion a winner despite a flurry of opportunities at both ends with Argyle defender Tom Moxham seeing his thunderous free-kick pushed away by O’Flaherty in the closing stages.

Roach told the Daily Echo: “We played them twice in our league and the game was very similar to when we met them at home in December.

“We were fairly comfortable in possession in the first half without probably having the cutting edge we would have liked. If we had finished a couple of our better opportunities, maybe it would have made the game a little easier.

“But after we had conceded one, we lost a bit of composure and the momentum began to switch to them. When it is in your favour, it is really good and, when you lose it, it is difficult to get it back.

“We could have done it by kicking the ball up the pitch and getting a breather but we don’t play that way. We lost a bit of momentum in the second half so were a bit disappointed.

“But, on the plus side, we only had two second years in the team. We had a mix of first years and schoolboys and they are all on a learning curve so we had to be pleased overall.

“We were disappointed not to get the three points but you have to play the way you want over the 90 minutes. Plymouth made it difficult for us at times and had a few decent players.”

Cherries: O’Flaherty, Lee, Lander, Jordan (O’Sullivan, 62), Harfield, Millar, Worthington, Neale, Walker (Cooper, 75), Matthews, Surridge. Unused sub: Simpson.