Schumacher's Bolton Reaction

Argyle extended their unbeaten away record this season to 11 games after a hard-fought 0-0 draw at fifth-placed Bolton Wanderers.

In a game which ebbed and flowed, Argyle came under varying amounts of pressure, with defenders making important blocks and Michael Cooper making two particularly fine stops. At the other end, Argyle came arguably the closest to winning the game when substitute debutant Ben Waine headed goalwards, only to see former Pilgrim Will Aimson retreat and clear from the goal-line.

“Any point on the road is a good point, especially at one of the better teams in the division,” said Argyle boss Steven Schumacher. “It is a positive point.

“It was a close game in the first half, a bit scrappy; we said we didn’t want it to be too open and free-flowing because they are good here, and a threat – as we are.  

“The game was what we expected and what we planned for. About an hour into the game, they got some momentum, and the crowd got up behind them. Their holding midfield player, [Aaron] Morley, was getting on the ball and causing a few problems as the game was becoming stretched.

“I thought we coped with Morley really well. He’s a good footballer, playing in that holding midfield role, and it was hard for our 10s to get pressure on him. We coped well in the first half, he didn’t have too much influence, but when there was a bit more space, he was starting to land on second balls and we couldn’t get hold of it.

“We adjusted, and put Jay Matete on the pitch, and the Morley didn’t really become a problem in the game.”

Matete and Waine were two of four debutants during the game. Callum Wright started the match, and Saxon Earley came on as a very late sub, meaning all four players who have joined the Greens in the first week of the current transfer window managed to see action.

Waine and Matete came on at the same time, replacing Danny Mayor and Wright to give Argyle a slightly different shape, and they were preceded by Ryan Hardie, who Waine joined up front.

“Ben Waine and Ryan [Hardie] came on to give us some energy at the top of the pitch, and the momentum looked like it swung back towards us,” said Schumacher. “We had some chances, some corners, but didn’t manage to get the goal. Late on, they threw everything at us, and the lads defended brilliantly to get another clean sheet.

“Ben is a bit of an unknown quantity. When he came on he gave us loads of energy; he was great when he came on. All his touches looked assured. I said to him: ‘Go on mate, go and score the winner in front of our fans, that’ll make you a hero’ and he almost did.

“[Jay Matete] probably played a little bit further forward that we’ve brought him in for. We see him as one of our two holding midfield players, because of his ability to regain the ball. His defensive work is excellent, and he shows glimpses of quality where he can run away from people.

“He’s not dissimilar to Panutche [Camara] when he used to regain the ball for us. Technically he is probably a little bit more secure. He gave us energy and drive in the middle of midfield, which we are going to need. The three lads who have carried the can all season in there have put a right good shift in.

“Callum did ok. I think he is going to get better. It was a tough game with a bobbly pitch, it wasn’t easy to control the ball. He showed some really nice glimpses, some touches; the more he gets up to match speed, we’ll see his quality. It was a hard game for him and Danny, there wasn’t much space in there. He worked really hard, and he’ll only get better.”

The Bolton game was the first in a pivotal week of three away fixtures for Argyle. On Tuesday night, they face a Papa Johns Trophy quarter-final tie at Bristol Rovers, before heading to promotion contenders Ipswich Town next Saturday.

Some more big games, then, facing the Pilgrims, but as the manager says, that is what everyone is in football for.

“That’s what you want,” Schumacher said. “It’s another two tough away games coming up now. We’ve come away from this one with what we wanted out of it, a positive point.

“We’ll go to Bristol Rovers and give everything we can to get through because there’s a semi-final at stake, and then we’ll prepare for what will be a brilliant game next Saturday away at Ipswich. It’s a top-of-the-table clash that everyone is excited for. Hopefully we can put in a similar performance and get something from the game.”