Derek Adams determined to fight on as Plymouth boss despite AFC Wimbledon defeat

Posted Thursday, December 27, 2018 by PA

Derek Adams is refusing to throw in the towel despite watching his Plymouth side crash to the bottom of Sky Bet League One after a 2-1 defeat at AFC Wimbledon.

Mitch Pinnock’s winner ensured the Dons leapfrogged their visitors after David Fox had given Argyle the lead after 23 minutes.

Anthony Wordsworth equalised within 10 minutes with Wimbledon the better side after the break, though Adams knows hope is not lost this early in the season.

“We have to stop making the errors that we are making,” said the Argyle boss.

“There are not a lot of teams playing through us. We are competing in every game but we can’t afford to make the basic errors we are making at this moment in time.

“I’ve said it all season and if you look at the goals we have conceded, they have been horrendous and this is an example of that.

“My position has been called into question since I walked into the football club. Some supporters didn’t want me here. That is what happens.

“But I have been here for three-and-a-half years and been hugely successful and I aim to stay here for another four-and-a-half years.

“I am up for the fight. I didn’t sign a long-term contract in the summer if I didn’t want to be here for that length of time.”

The Dons’ bid for back-to-back wins did not start well when Fox’s spectacular 30-yard volley put Plymouth ahead.

But the hosts responded, Wordsworth firing in a brilliant volley from a half-cleared cross before Pinnock made the most of a miscued back pass to loft the ball into an empty net.

“I thought we were unlucky to go 1-0 down as we played very well in the first half and to come back as we did in the first half was good for the morale as it meant we were in a great position at half-time to go and win the game,” said Wimbledon manager Wally Downes.

“Anthony (Wordsworth) showed great decision-making and technique with his strike for the goal.

“I told them they had 45 minutes to win a game. They have all done it before so there was no reason for them not to do it again.

“I thought if we kept a clean sheet in the second half we would win the game.

“It’s terrific to get my first home win. There was the goal at the end that was disallowed and I thought ‘oh blimey they have taken it away from us’. It was terrific to get the first one.”