Schumacher's Wimbledon Reaction

On night where Argyle came from 3-0 down at half-time against AFC Wimbledon in the Papa Johns Trophy, to draw 3-3 and then win a penalty shoot-out, Greens manager Steven Schumacher can probably be forgiven for using the cliché-est of all clichés.

“It’s obvious, but it was a game of two halves,” he said, the trite line said with quite a bit of his tongue still filmy in his cheek.

He was not wrong, of course. Wimbledon led thanks to two early goals from giant forward Kyle Hudlin and a strike close to the interval by Ayoub Assal, and you would be instantly forgiven for thinking the Pilgrims’ Trophy run was over for the season.

Schumacher, though, retained hope, and made a triple half-time change, bringing on Nigel Lonwijk, Adam Randell and Morgan Whittaker for Dan Scarr, Caleb Roberts and Brandon Pursall. Bali Mumba was introduced soon after, too, and suddenly Argyle’s attacking impetus was evident.

Three second-half goals, all scored by Sam Cosgrove, brought Argyle level, and a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win, in which Callum Burton made a telling save, set up a quarter-final tie against Bristol Rovers.

Schumacher said: “I thought Wimbledon played well in the first half and scored two goals early on in the game, which we felt we could have defended better, we just didn’t have enough desire to stop the crosses in the wide areas or defend the box properly. It was sloppy from us.

“Wimbledon were a threat. The big lad up front [Hudlin] was a handful, and they played some really good stuff.

“From about 35 minutes we changed shape and got a grip of the game, and then conceded another really poor goal from some poor defending.

“You’re thinking ‘that might be it, it might be game over’ but we rolled the dice at half-time and got some quality onto the pitch that was sitting on the bench.

“They produced the goods and, fair play to the lads, it was a good reaction, and we’ve gone on and gone through, which is great.

“One of the changes was already planned – Nigel was coming on for Dan, and they were playing 45 minutes each – but getting Morgan and Adam on there gave us a little bit more experience, so Butch [Matt Butcher] went to left back, Rands gives us a bit of energy in midfield and Morgan gives us the quality that we know.

“That isn’t taking anything away from the three lads who came off, they are quality players. I just felt we got down the left side, having two left-footers there who were forward-thinking – Butch and Jack – putting some good balls in.

“I felt after we got the third goal there was a few minutes left and we might have just snuck it, we were the only team that looked likely to go on and win it, but it had to be on penalties and Cal the Dragon did his job!”

Cosgrove spent half of last season on loan at Wimbledon, as they were relegated from Sky Bet League One.

He scored just once for the Dons in 15 appearances. Contrast that with his Argyle tally thus far: ten starts, ten sub appearances, ten goals.

Not only did his hat-trick, a couple of poacher’s finishes followed by a driven third, take him to double figures for the season, but it dragged Argyle into a shoot-out, during which Cosgrove converted from 12 yards.

It was some night for Cosgrove, particularly after, according to Schumacher, he could have done better for Wimbledon’s opener.

“Big Sam scored three great goals; I think he will be delighted,” said the manager. “I heard one of their fans shouting ‘Wimbledon reject’ as he was walking up to take his pen – his fourth goal of the night.

“In the first half, I thought he did ok. Defensively, for Wimbledon’s first goal I think he could have done a bit better for us, and we said that to him at half-time.

“His reaction in the second half, he put himself in good positions, scored three goals and maybe could have had another couple.”

Schumacher also singled another player his reaction in the second half. Oscar Halls, a defender who only turned 18 in November, was making his fifth appearance for Argyle, all of which have come in this competition this season.

He played on the right of a back three in the first half, and in a duo with Lonwijk after the break. Schumacher was impressed by Halls’ attitude just as much as his performance.

“Young Oscar, we said to him at half-time that he has to defend better, and sense danger,” said Schumacher. “I said this last time he played, and he made a mistake – I like his character. He never shirks. He doesn’t shrink or go into his shell.

“He was brilliant in the second half. Him and Nigel were really aggressive and kept getting the ball back. It was really pleasing.”

The win has set up a last-eight tie with Bristol Rovers, whom Argyle have already met in this season’s competition. That game finished 1-1, and Argyle won a shoot-out to gain an extra point in the group stage. The sides met in league action, too, in a game that finished 2-2.

The stage is now set for another fascinating encounter.

“We go to Bristol Rovers and we are two games from Wembley,” said Schumacher. “It’s getting closer, and you can see tonight that the standard is [getting better]. Wimbledon didn’t play on Saturday, so they could play a stronger team than maybe they have done in the previous rounds.

“I’m sure Bristol Rovers will do the same. We’re two games from a really big day out for everyone. We’ll go there, pick a team that we think can win the game, and I’m sure Bristol Rovers will do the same. It will be a feisty encounter like it always is, and we look forward to the quarter-final.”