Schumacher's Charlton Reaction

Seven days after defeat at Peterborough United, Argyle bounced back in perfect fashion with a 2-0 home win against Charlton Athletic.

The first half had some hallmarks of recent games: Argyle on top, creating chances but with nothing to show from the first half. However, Ryan Hardie scored a remarkable nine seconds into the second period, and substitute Niall Ennis sealed the game late on to give Argyle a 15th home win in 17 fixtures.

This was the fifth time Argyle have played a league fixture this season having lost the previous game, and the fourth time they have followed up a loss win a win, the other being a draw.

That reaction, and way Argyle played with intensity and purpose against Charlton, clearly pleased manager Steven Schumacher.

He told Argyle TV: “I'm pleased with the result; that was the most important thing today, because we got beat last week. We felt we didn't play well enough last week in all areas of the game. It was important to get back to winning ways, but I was more impressed really with the performance today.

“I thought we played really well. We defended well, got on second balls, did all the basics better than last week. We created some big chances and felt we should have had a stonewall penalty right before half-time.

“Somehow, Ryan manages to them to score as soon as the whistle went in the second half, which makes us all feel a bit better. He closed the ball down, had an unbelievably touch, then did what he does, which is slot it away.

“We just kept going. I thought we played the same in the second half, as we did in the first half, we were probably the stronger team and deserved the three points.”

After Hardie’s perfect start to the second half, Argyle roared forward in search of a second, but despite dominance, could not double their tally at that stage. Charlton manager Dean Holden responded with a triple substitution, putting on three fresh forward players, and for a while the Addicks looked like finding their way back into the match.

Schumacher then brought on subs of his own, and one of them – Ennis – clinched the game for the Greens.

“I think their substitutions were at a good time for them, because we looked like we were just on top,” said Schumacher.

“We were considering making a change - Callum Wright [for Danny Mayor] - on 60 minutes, but I said to hang fire for 10 minutes because we were playing well and we looked like we were going to score the second goal, then it might have been all over.

“Dean made his changes and then that slowed down our momentum a little bit. We had to figure out what shape they were playing in, and see what they were doing with their four attacking players on the pitch. A few minutes after their changes we made ours, then we got back on top again.

“When I've got good players who come off the bench, like Niall, Sam Cosgrove and Callum Wright, it gives you a good chance to win the games.

“I’m pleased Niall slotted one away because you think at 1-0 they would've probably got one big chance.”

Argyle are quickly back in action at Home Park, playing Derby County on Tuesday night. This will be followed by a trip to Barnsley at the weekend. Both Derby and Barnsley are in the top six and have designs on catching second-placed Argyle, so Schumacher is anticipating a pair of tough, but enjoyable, games.

“We had to make sure we dealt with this game first,” he said, “and now we go into huge games against two teams who are in the top six as well. They are going to be doing everything we can to stop us.

“We enjoy that challenge because it'll be open, and it will be two teams trying to win. It's going to be exciting. I can't wait for Tuesday.”