Steven Schumacher praises Plymouth response after latest home win

Posted Wednesday, October 26, 2022 by PA

Plymouth manager Steven Schumacher was delighted with his side’s 2-1 comeback win over Shrewsbury.

Morgan Whittaker tapped in an 83rd-minute winner from a pinpoint Brendan Galloway delivery after half-time substitute Niall Ennis cancelled out Jordan Shipley’s first-half opener.

Victory kept Argyle top of League Two after an eighth straight home success.

Schumacher said: “It was a tough game for us. We kind of expected Shrewsbury were going to come in and make it hard for us, the way they defend.

“They go with a back five and a lot of midfield in and around the edge of their box and it’s quite hard to break down.

“We spoke to our players this week and said let’s try and make sure we don’t concede the first goal because if we do the game gets even harder.

“It was difficult for large parts and then Adam Randell landed on a second ball in the second half, wins a 50-50 and puts us in on their goal.

“Morgan (Whittaker) and Niall (Ennis) produce a lovely moment of quality and then it’s game on.

“So I am delighted with our reaction and delighted with three points.

“I want to give Mark Hughes, my assistant manager, a lot of credit. We spoke at half-time about how we wanted to change things and we wanted to get big Sam Cosgrove on the pitch.

“Hughesy said lets go 4-4-2 so we did and then he said let’s get Brendan (Galloway) on and he’s put in a worldie of a ball and it’s great finish by Morgan.”

Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill said: “It is tough to take, we made a couple of mistakes for their goals and it was the only mistakes we made all night.

“We probably made two mistakes all night and been punished for them. I couldn’t be prouder of the lads tonight, I thought they were excellent.

“With the size of the squad and legs, we had players that were really wilting towards the end. They put in such a great shift, and we were miles better tonight than Saturday.

“I have said to them in the changing room the standards they have picked up in some games, they have got to keep that going in every game.

“We were excellent tonight really disciplined, we never gave them a look and they probably only got their second goal on the back of us trying to sore the winner.

“We had two or three balls flash across the box at 1-1 and we can go 2-1 up. And if we go 2-1 up it will be game over. The game became a bit ding-dong in that last 10 minutes and it took its toll on our guys.

“I have just said to the boys they need to take the positives out of the game. We have got to aspire to have good performance every week, that is why Plymouth are top of the table. They have had good performances every week, both individually and collectively.”