--- source: thedugout.football generated: 2026-07-24T20:59:39.224Z last_updated: 2026-07-22T09:12:32+00:00 data_provider: API-Football canonical: https://thedugout.football/clubs/plymouth-argyle/news/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucGx5bW91dGhoZXJhbGQuY28udWsvc3BvcnQvZm9vdGJhbGwvcGx5bW91dGgtYXJneWxlLXdha2UtdXAtY2FsbC0xMTA3MDg3Mw --- # Argyle got 'wake up call' at Torquay admits Tom Cleverley - **Source:** - **Published:** 22 Jul - **Club:** Plymouth Argyle - **Original URL:** https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/sport/football/plymouth-argyle-wake-up-call-11070873 Cleverley admitted the National League South hosts could 'feel a little bit hard down by with the result' after they played well and provided a tough test for their League One visitors. Argyle clinched a third consecutive victory at the start of pre-season after a 28th minute goal from striker Bim Pepple. Read More: Argyle holding talks with one club over potential new striker Read More: Argyle beat Torquay for third successive pre-season victory However, Torquay posed plenty of problems for the Pilgrims throughout a very competitively played contest and were unfortunate to grab a late equaliser when Sam Dreyer saw his close range header come back off the crossbar. Cleverley said: "A really difficult test. I thought they (Torquay) were very good. They offered a physical and technical tough game for us. "I think they can feel a little bit hard done by with the result, which doesn't matter at this stage of the season. We probably got to the right result the wrong way. "We came away from a lot of what we are - not enough penetration, not enough duels, not enough second balls, a little bit too big a gap in distances between the lines. "It's a wake-up call that whenever we come away from what we are effective at, we look fairly average this evening." Pepple grabbed his second goal of the pre-season when he steered home a low cross from Argyle's second-year apprentice right-back Joe Mwaro. Cleverley said: "It was the best bit of play by far from us. Went through Bradley (Ibrahim), went to the other side quickly, when you get a team to one side of the pitch can you exploit the other one quickly with efficient passing? "It's a movement we work on down the side of the pitch, full-back underlapping and Bim where you want your nine scoring goals." Mwaro was one four apprentices involved in the action against Torquay, along with striker James Sharpe - who started the game up front with Pepple, central defender Sam Hayman and left-back Jared Rendle. First-year professional Seb Campbell, 17, also came off the bench in the second half, with Argyle missing senior players such as Joe Edwards, Jack MacKenzie, Caleb Watts and Brendan Wiredu due to injury issues. Cleverley said about the crop of young Argyle players: "I have been really pleased with them in the main in the pre-season. Ideally, you have a few more senior boys in there just because now it's really starting to ramp up in terms of opposition. "It will be the first time some of those young boys would have played in front of 4,000-5,000 so hats off to them. They have faced some real tough challenges. "Where we don't have an under-21s, you forget when you say young boys, they really are. A couple of them just leaving school (Rendle and Sharpe). They will come through it with a lot of learning and for the better." You can read more of our Argyle stories from Plymouth Live by clicking HERE PlymouthLive has launched a Plymouth Argyle transfer news and top stories group on WhatsApp and we want you to join us. Once you sign up for our updates, we'll send all the latest straight to your phone. To join our community, you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select 'Join Community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the PlymouthLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'Exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Click here to join our WhatsApp community.