PLYMOUTH Argyle were grateful to former Swansea City goalkeeper Kyle Letheren for standing in the way of his former club in an end-to-end reserve-team fixture at Home Park yesterday.

Letheren made a series of good saves to restrict the Swans to a 1-0 win which gave them three Totesport.com Combination Wales and West Division points. The Wales Under-21 international, who is striving to earn a long-term contract with the Pilgrims, was beaten only from the penalty spot, late in the game.

Argyle sent out a side which featured two international central defenders. Hungary's Krisztian Timar lined up alongside Réda Johnson, of Bénin.

The other players with Coca-Cola Championship experience in the Pilgrims' line-up were Chris Clark and Craig Noone on the wings, Jim Paterson in the centre of midfield, and George Donnelly up front. The transfer-listed Steve MacLean was conspicuous by his absence from the home ranks.

Swansea's second XI included Albert Serran, a Spanish right-back who has played first-team football for Espanyol, former Liverpool striker Besian Idrizaj, and two players who have attended Glenn Hoddle's football academy in Spain – goalkeeper Will Lumley and central defender Matt Dempsey.

In a patient opening to the game, it took Argyle 17 minutes to create a worthwhile scoring chance. When they did so, Noone made progress down the left and delivered a good cross which reached George Donnelly, whose header was saved at point-blank range by Lumley. Noone's subsequent corner was headed wide by Johnson.

When the visitors responded, Serran charged forward to the edge of the penalty area and slipped a pass into the path of Idrizaj, who came up with a shot which was smothered by Letheren.

The Swans went close again on the half-hour. After a foul by Timar, Stephen Dobbie was undaunted by the distance from goal and his fierce free-kick from about 30 yards was pushed away by the diving Letheren.

Three minutes later, a slip by Timar allowed Idrizaj to gallop clear down the left flank. The Austrian Under-21 international's cut-back reached Dobbie, whose shot was parried by Letheren and hacked clear by Ryan Brett.

The Swans continued to look the more threatening side and, after Idrizaj had latched on to a fine through ball from Dobbie, Ryan Leonard made a well-timed tackle to avert the danger a minute before half-time.

Two minutes after the break, Lumley was called into action again. Noone's deft pass gave Donnelly the chance to let fly with a well-hit shot which was tipped away by the Swans' goalkeeper.

Play soon switched to the other end. A minute later, after Johnson had missed a header, Idrizaj raced away and took aim with a shot which was pushed away by the busy Letheren. The Pilgrims' custodian was at it again not long afterwards, when he beat away a firm drive sent his way by the lively Idrizaj.

Ten minutes after the interval, Argyle's best move of the game almost produced a goal. Letheren clutched a corner and hurled the ball into the path of Paterson, who switched play with a good pass which picked out Donnelly. The striker surged into the penalty area and rolled an angled shot just wide.

Noone's shift came to an end then. The winger is guaranteed to be part of the first-team squad at Leicester City on Saturday. His replacement, Jake Baker, was soon involved with a shot which was blocked by Abu Bakr.

Out of nothing, Argyle almost took the lead in the 66th minute. Brett let fly from 35 yards with a tremendous shot which crashed off the crossbar, before the Swans ventured upfield and went close themselves. Letheren blocked Chad Bond's shot and Idrizaj knocked the loose ball into the path of Adam Orme, who wastefully fired too high.

The Swans eventually took the lead in the 71st minute, from the penalty spot. Leonard was harshly adjudged to have felled Idrizaj, and Dobbie slammed the spot-kick into the top corner.

Argyle strived in vain to grab an equaliser. They almost did the trick six minutes from the end, when Baker's good cross from the left picked out Sean Kinsella. The Irish midfielder steered his shot wide, though.

Plymouth Argyle reserves (4-4-2): Letheren; Leonard, Timar, Johnson (Trott 64), Brett; Clark, Kinsella, Paterson, Noone (Baker 55); Donnelly, Head (Rickard 80).

Swansea City reserves (4-3-3): Lumley; Serran, Dempsey, Bakr, Painter; Collins, Dobbie, Berry (Evans 23); Bond, Idrizaj, Orme (Lucas 77).