OSCAR Gobern will start for Saints reserves at Plymouth this afternoon, three days after helping the first team record a remarkable 3-2 victory at Preston.

The 17-year-old, who was introduced as a half-time substitute at Deepdale with Saints 2-0 down, has been included in Mark Wotte's squad for the trip to Home Park (2pm kick-off).

"We are very pleased with Oscar's development, but we will need to protect him a little because he is still very young and has a lot to learn at every level of the game," said Wotte.

"He has played in the reserves whenever he has been fit this season and only played 45 minutes on Saturday, so will maybe get an hour today and then hopefully be okay and ready again for Saturday if (head coach) Jan (Poortvliet) needs him."

Frenchman Romain Gasmi will also start in a strong side, which includes Joseph Mills and Lloyd James, who has asked to play.

"Lloyd has not been back to his best since he went away with the Welsh Under-21s," said Wotte.

"He only played for the last part of the first game against England and for the rest of the international break he was not training at the same intensity as he would have done if he'd been back with us.

"Being involved with your country is great experience for any young player, but if you don't actually get much game time it can be a struggle afterwards to get back to where you were in terms of fitness."

Saints: Forecast, Mills, Davies, Imudia, Hatch, Gobern, James, Gasmi, Smith, White, Paterson.

Subs: Pernecky, McNish, McLaggon, Dunford, Byrne.

For a report of the match, don't miss tomorrow's Daily Echo.