Schumacher's Fleetwood Reaction

In a game in which Argyle led, but then ultimately lost, against Fleetwood Town, Pilgrims manager Steven Schumacher feels that a result somewhere between the two would have been fair.

The Greens took the lead from the spot when Ryan Hardie converted a penalty following a foul in the area on Bali Mumba.

However, Fleetwood equalised before half-time through a Dan Batty goal, then scored a late winner via substitute Joe Garner to give manager Scott Brown a victory in his first home game as boss.

Had the decisive goal not arrived, Schumacher would have considered a point a fair return from a frantic encounter that neither side truly got a hold on.

“I didn’t feel that we deserved to lose the game, but I don’t think we deserved to win it either,” Schumacher told Argyle TV after the game

“We weren’t at our best. We’re more than capable of coming to Fleetwood and winning. It was a poor goal and a bad result.

“I thought it was a little bit scrappy, especially first half. We got lulled into their game a little bit, we were a bit too direct and didn’t pass the ball to our two number 10s enough. We got a little bit better at that in the second half but then didn’t make the most of the opportunities.

“[Bali] produced a moment of quality and won us a penalty with a lovely bit of skill. There were instances where Joe got in, Bali got in and other people got in, but we just didn’t make the final pass.

“In games that are going to be tight, and we knew it was going to be tough, with them playing their first home game for the new gaffer. It’s early in the season and they are trying to get their first points.

“No-one individually was really poor, but no-one got to the top level that they can reach.”

After Fleetwood’s late winner, Argyle still had chances to level the game. Several corners and free-kicks were thrown into the Fleetwood six-yard area, with even goalkeeper Mike Cooper trying to conjure up a goal, but to no avail.

When things feel down because of the nature of defeat, there is solace to be found, perhaps, in the fact that Argyle did have chances, and showed no lack of determination.

“That could be a positive out of it,” said Schumacher. “We did keep going to the end, and the lads did have a good reaction, and caused a few problems. There were so many bodies in there, but it didn’t fall for us.

“Small margins are the difference in the games, and we didn’t execute our opportunities well enough.

“It’s not all doom and gloom, we didn’t play terribly, but we weren’t at our best. If we were anywhere near our best, we would have won, but credit to Fleetwood, they stayed in the game, and when we made a mistake, they punished us.”

Argyle’s next two games are against the same opposition. Peterborough United are the visitors to Home Park on Wednesday night, in the Carabao Cup, and will return three days later in Sky Bet League One action.

Schumacher is content with another game looming on the horizon, in part so he can use the game as an opportunity to get a look at some players who have received limited or no game time in what little of the season has been played so far.

He said: “I’m glad there is another game this week, because we can put this to bed, make a few changes and people can stake their claim for a place in the following game.

“We will try to get a better performance on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup, and then there is another tough game at the weekend. It will be two hard games, and we will have to play better than we did today to get anything from them.

“We’ll make a few changes. I think it’s important that people get a chance to stake their claim. There’s a few lads who didn’t get on today who will be thinking ‘why not?’ It will be a chance to have a look at a few things. Places will be up for grabs on Saturday.”