AFC Bournemouth under-18s convincingly overcame rivals Plymouth Argyle 4-0 on Saturday at Canford Arena to remain top of the Youth Alliance League.

AFC Bournemouth under-18s convincingly overcame rivals Plymouth Argyle 4-0 on Saturday at Canford Arena to remain top of the Youth Alliance League.

The victory ensured that Alan Connell's side remain three points clear of title challengers Oxford United at the top of the table.

Ben Greenwood grabbed a first-half brace with a goal inside the first minute and a converted penalty just past the half-hour mark.

Khavarn Williams and Luke Pardoe both added their names to the scoresheet in the second half to round off the four-goal display.

It took the Cherries exactly 23 seconds to open the scoring from the kick-off as Greenwood found himself inside the penalty area on the left-hand side.

He fired a shot towards goal that took a deflection and rippled the back of the net after narrowly beating Jack Martin in goal.

The game was changed just after the half-hour mark after Plymouth were reduced to ten-men after Alimamy Mansaray denying a goal-scoring opportunity.

Pardoe found himself breaking through and dribbling past Martin who came rushing off his line but Mansaray pulled him back on the edge of the box to bring him down.

As a result, the referee issued a free-kick on the edge of the box and showed no hesitation to show the defender a straight red card.

Despite failing to score from the set-piece, the Cherries were awarded another goal-scoring opportunity minutes later when Pardoe was brought down again, this time inside the box.

The referee pointed straight to the spot after goalkeeper Martin collided with the Cherries attacker which brought him to the ground.

Greenwood stepped up and fired it into the top right corner as both the first and second choice penalty takers, Christian Saydee and Brooklyn Genesini, were out of the squad.

Five minutes into the second-half the Cherries extended the lead once again to make it 3-0.

Some tidy teamwork to work the ball inside the box allowed Williams to tap the ball into the back of the net from eight yards out which brought his tally to the season to four goals.

Jack Wadham tried to continue his goal-scoring form after last week’s brace, however, his lofted shot over Martin rattled the crossbar with five minutes remaining.

In the 88th minute Pardoe deservedly netted the fourth goal after winning a tackle on the edge of the box, dribbling inside and slotting it past the keeper to wrap up the victory.

Cherries XI: Besant, Roberts, Greenwood (Palmer, 75), Wadham, Channell, Bertrand (Burgess 70), Pardoe, Gray, Pollock (Seddon, 70), Williams (Murray, 66, Oliver (Adams, 60)