Steven Schumacher happy as Pilgrims progress continues with come-from-behind win

Posted Wednesday, March 08, 2023 by PA

Boss Steven Schumacher expressed his delight after Plymouth came from behind to beat Derby and move level with Sheffield Wednesday at the top of Sky Bet League One.

After goals from Callum Wright and Ryan Hardie had sealed victory, Schumacher said: “We are strong at home, we have had a brilliant record and that is 16 wins here at home. If we can get a few more, that will be great.”

Hardie took his season’s tally to 17 goals with the 69th-minute winner from the penalty spot, after substitute Wright’s goal on the hour had cancelled out Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s 17th-minute opener.

Schumacher continued: “I am really pleased. It was always going to be a tough game.

“Derby started the game well and were on the front foot. We were a bit sloppy every time we got the ball, we kept kicking it back to them.

“Once they scored, it settled us down a little bit. We passed the ball really well in the first half and just didn’t have enough quality at the end of it.

“In the second half we showed what we are about, we moved the ball so well, created some good chances and once again the boys have showed character to come back and win.

“We got the three number 10s on there which we felt could cause Derby a problem in those little spaces.

“We were positive and have the most contributions from substitutes in the whole EFL, so credit to the players for that. We trust in them, they come on and deliver and they have done it time and time again. We need that to continue.

“The fans played a huge part, you heard them tonight. Even when we were a goal behind, they didn’t get on the players’ backs and kept supporting them and we need that for the rest of the campaign.”

Derby boss Paul Warne said: “Obviously I am hugely frustrated.

“I thought we were really good first half. We had opportunities to score more than we did and limited a good Plymouth side to very little.

“Then second half we conceded a fortuitous goal, it is probably best to say on their behalf, because it has hit Eiran Cashin and fluked in really.

“And then we didn’t react from that well enough. I appreciate there was a wind here but we still should have got on the ball a lot better than we did.

“The game took an ugly turn for us because we just couldn’t get a foothold in it.

“I credit Plymouth with the way they came after us but we still should be better – and then obviously the penalty, another ugly point. It feels like whenever anyone goes down in and around the box we get a penalty against us. Maybe it is a penalty, I haven’t seen it back.

“But my disappointment was that we didn’t put a real stink up to get an equaliser and that’s what disappoints me. We didn’t put up enough of a fight to get back into it.”