Steven Schumacher hails ‘team effort’ after Plymouth’s sixth clean sheet

Posted Wednesday, March 23, 2022 by PA

Steven Schumacher was as happy with a sixth straight clean sheet as he was a sixth consecutive victory as promotion-chasing Plymouth eased to a 2-0 win over Cheltenham.

Striker Niall Ennis arrowed the ball home from a tight angle to put Argyle 1-0 up before playmaker Danny Mayor scored a sublime volley after 42 minutes as the Greens consolidated their play-off place.

Schumacher said: “That’s six clean sheets, which is brilliant and it’s not just the goalkeeper and the defenders, it’s everybody. It’s such a team effort to keep a clean sheet and it’s not easy, but we’ve done it again.”

He added: “Two brilliant goals, two great finishes. The first one from Niall was a lovely little move and then a bit of individual skill and a great finish.

“And then the second one from Danny…was an absolutely gorgeous finish, right in the top corner. I’m made up and very pleased for him because he’s been in such good form and deserves the goal.

“The performance tonight was good. We won 2-0 at home, again, scored two great goals and played some nice football at times.

“Cheltenham also played some good football and had some big chances. Teams are going to try that against us, you can’t have it all your own way for 90 minutes.

“They are a good team and Alfie May is in really good form. He was a threat, and some of their passages of play were good but it was another brilliant night here at Home Park and we’ve enjoyed it.”

Cheltenham boss Michael Duff said: “I haven’t seen the stats but I would imagine possession was fairly even, I imagine shots were fairly even.

“Their keeper made two or three fantastic saves, the ball didn’t quite drop for us today and ultimately the goal that has won them the game was an absolute worldie.

“Sometimes you’ve got to hold your hands up and say it’s just a bit of magic. So yes, we can do better with the first contact and things like that.

“Alfie (May) has probably had more chances today than he did against Wycombe where he scored four. It just didn’t drop for him.

“I thought we were okay, we were decent, but the real fine margins of trying to get a win away from home at a team that are going for the play-offs, we didn’t quite fall the right side of those.

“It was a decent performance, but did we do enough to win? No. But I thought we could have nicked something.

“The second goal, that is the bit that has won them the game. But we kept going, there was no question of downing tools. Sometimes you have to accept that we didn’t quite do enough.”