Harvey White gets 'valuable minutes' in first game for Argyle

The 24-year-old was a key figure for Stevenage last season as they surprisingly challenge for promotion from League One before eventually coming up short in the play-off semi-finals.

White joined Argyle last month but missed the start of pre-season due to a calf issue. However, he got his first taste of action for his new club in the 1-0 pre-season win against Torquay United at Plainmoor.

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He was sent on as one of seven substitutes in the 61st minute and slotted into a central midfield role along with Malachi Boateng.

Cleverley said: "That will be valuable minutes for Harvey. A couple of the passes he hit you can see his quality.

"We have had real good success since Derek (Adams, Argyle's director of football) came in with signings of mid to late 20s that have played at the level. Harvey certainly ticks that box.

"He has been available for 46 games the last two years, which is a big plus for us. He's going to be better for these minutes. You can see his quality in the training sessions and he will be an important player for us moving forward."

Argyle club captain Joe Edwards is on target to play his first pre-season game against Bristol City at Home Park on Saturday, August 1.

Neither Edwards not midfielder Brendan Wiredu will be fit enough to feature in the trip to National League South side Truro City this weekend.

Edwards had a knee procedure this summer while Wiredu has had a slight Achilles niggle but Cleverley has reported that both are 'progressing well'.

Cleverley said: "Joe has been training with the team and will be Thursday and Friday. We won't rush the last bit now. All being well both will be available against Bristol City."

Injury absentees against Torquay were left-back Jack MacKenzie after his recent knee operation and attacking midfielder Caleb Watts, who is touch and go for the start of the season due to an ankle issue.

Murphy Cooper has been signed as Argyle's number one goalkeeper after his transfer from Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

However, it was his back-up, 21-year-old James Storer, who played the whole of the pre-season Devon derby against Torquay.

At 6ft 5in tall, the summer signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers brings a significant physical presence between the posts and he has had the chance to play in all three of Argyle's warm-up matches so far.

Storer played regularly for Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship so despite his youthful age he has a good amount of experience.

He made one excellent save early in the first half against Torquay when athletically pushing away a fierce strike from Callum Morton, and was assured in all that he did otherwise.

Pre-season games serve a purpose in terms of working on players' fitness levels and implementing tactics that have been worked on at the training ground.

However, they also tend to lack a competitive edge - although the crunching tackle on Argyle's Wes Harding by Munashe Sundire in the first half which earned the Torquay midfielder a yellow card - was a case where someone did not hold back.

Cleverley said after his side's far-from impressive 1-0 win: "I'm not a big fan of the pre-season, just chomping at the bit for Exeter (the Carabao Cup first round tie at Home Park on Monday, August 10).

"What I must say is the teams in the south west that have hosted us have been first class - from Parkway, to Bath, to Torquay.

"It's a great club, it has got such a nice feel. Obviously, Damon (Lathrope, Argyle's assistant head coach) played plenty of games here. It's a fixture that I really appreciate and hopefully it can be an annual one."

Tom Cleverley has indicated that he will opt for a strong starting line-up in Argyle's pre-season fixture against Truro after mixing and matching his squad for the first three games.

Like Torquay did, Truro are likely to not make it easy at all for Argyle. The National League South side have already won away to Falmouth Town (5-0) and Exmouth Town (5-2) and beaten Exeter City (1-0) at home.

It is now less than four weeks until Argyle's first competitive match of the campaign against Exeter, followed five days later by their League One season-opener at home to Stockport County.

Cleverley said: "Certainly you start thinking about the strongest team because you need those to get some rhythm together and playing significant minutes together.

"You think less of physically protecting the players now because we are well into week four and we have played three games. So I think you will see a stronger team together and a stronger performance on Saturday."

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