Steven Schumacher pleased to see Plymouth return to the top of the table

Posted Sunday, December 18, 2022 by PA

Steven Schumacher’s Plymouth returned to winning ways – and the Sky Bet League One summit – with a 2-1 home win over basement side Morecambe.

After goals from Niall Ennis and Sam Cosgrove had sealed a first win in five matches, Schumacher beamed: “To have 47 points before the halfway stage and top of the league going into Christmas Day, everybody can be really pleased about that.”

Ipswich lost at Wycombe and Sheffield Wednesday were held at home by Oxford, enabling the Pilgrims to return to the top of the table and capping a good day for Schumacher, who said: “We just needed to focus on our result today.

“We did not need to bother about how Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday got on. We just needed to win the game, that was the most important thing.

“We have got to go to Cheltenham now (on Boxing Day) and put in another good performance if we can, to try and get that 50 points at the halfway mark would be great.”

He continued: “They (Morecambe) have got Cole Stockton, who obviously scored loads of goals last season and is always a threat at the top end of the pitch and they have got good energy in midfield, when they break.

“I was disappointed we conceded to them, especially late on, because it made everyone a bit more nervous for two minutes. But overall I thought we probably deserved the three points.

“I thought we played really well. First half we created some lovely chances and we played some real good football and looked a threat on both sides of the pitch.

“It was nice to have Danny Mayor back so we could attack down both sides.

“Unfortunately we didn’t manage to get an early goal. We had to be patient and thankfully we got over the line and got the three points, which is great.”

Argyle should have taken the lead in the 42nd minute but Morecambe goalkeeper Connor Ripley dived to his left to save Morgan Whittaker’s penalty following a foul on Joe Edwards.

Striker Ennis got the 70th-minute opener, cleverly clipping the ball home at the near post from substitute Ryan Hardie’s pacey cross from the left.

Hardie’s 62nd minute introduction made all the difference to Argyle’s attack.

The Scottish ace was close to making it 2-0 in the 77th minute but his deft touch to beat Ripley, from Cosgrove’s first-time cross, went past the far post.

It did not take long for Cosgrove – on loan from Birmingham – to make it 2-0. He only needed one touch to tuck away Edwards’ measured pass from 12 yards out.

It was a crucial goal as Anthony O’Connor cut in from the right to hammer the ball past Michael Cooper in the home goal in the first minute of stoppage time.

Morecambe’s former Plymouth boss Derek Adams said: “We have come to a team who are top of the table and tried to go toe-to-toe with them.

“It was difficult at times because of the quality they have in their team.

“We started the game very well, we pressed them high up the pitch and they knocked a number of balls out of play and didn’t really create many opportunities at that stage. When they did create an opportunity, it was our fault.

“Over the course of the afternoon, I am very proud of our players because Plymouth have only lost here once this season and they are at the top of the league for a reason.

“Connor Ripley made an excellent penalty save and we had to defend well at times as a number of times they got through and created opportunities.

“We should have had a penalty at 2-1 right at the end of the game, we have watched it back on the video and Cole Stockton gets fouled in the box and that would have been an opportunity to get to 2-2.

“We have come here and put in a very good performance. To come away and lose 2-1 is disappointing but the players gave their all and tried their best to get that victory.

“We were prepared for the game, ready for it and the players showed that all afternoon.”