ARGYLE ARE HOPING FOR A MATT FINISH
FOR most of us, Facebook Memories is a parade of terrible haircuts, drunken nights out and babies who have grown up too fast. For Plymouth striker Jamille Matt, it was a reminder of the most bittersweet moment of his career.
Two years ago, the 26-year-old was an unused substitute as Fleetwood Town beat Burton 1-0 at Wembley to clinch promotion to League One.
And whilst he revelled in the celebrations, Matt couldn’t help but feel a pang of pain at missing out on the chance to play under the arch.
But now, after firing Plymouth to a 3-1 aggregate victory over Portsmouth to set up a final against AFC Wimbledon, the Jamaican-born forward can finally lay those ghosts to rest.
Motivation
“It’s funny because I was on Facebook the other day and one of those ‘On this Day’ things popped up with all the pictures from Wembley,” he said.
“It was a pretty good motivation, because I never got to play in the final and that’s still something that hurts.
“I’d come back from injury and the lads were playing really well so I didn’t get a chance to get back in the team. I was on the bench for the first leg, out of the squad for the second, then on the bench at Wembley. You sit there desperately hoping you’ll get on but it wasn’t to be.
“It was great to get the win and, obviously, I did feel part of the squad. I’d been with the lads every day and you’ve shared all the emotions and hard work.You are happy.
“But when you’ve played and you’ve contributed and you’ve been out there on the day, it’s a lot more special. This time, I want to be part of it.”
With 11 goals in 42 games, Matt has certainly been part of things this year. However, the former Kidderminster man almost set himself up for a fresh dose of heartbreak after appearing to head-butt Pompey midfielder Michael Doyle in the semis.
Though missed by the referee, Matt could have been hit with a retrospective three-game ban, but the FA ruled he had no case to answer.
“I was a little bit worried,” he admits. “I kind of pushed my head – it definitely wasn’t a head-butt – but it looked bad on TV. There’s nowhere near enough contact for him to go down like he did but the lad’s made a big deal of it.
“It was silly from me. It was a reaction and I shouldn’t have put my destiny in somebody else’s hands. But, in the end, common sense prevailed.”
Having drawn 2-2 at Fratton Park, the second-leg appeared to be drifting towards extra time before Peter Hartley’s 90th-minute header sent Derek Adams’ side to Wembley.
“It’s the best way to win,” added Matt. “When you score that late, you know it’s the winner. It didn’t give them a chance to respond.We were buzzing.”
Now the attention turns to Wimbledon, who just last month notched a 2-1 victory over the Pilgrims.
Confident
“Over the last week, I’ve been constantly asked who we’d rather play,” said Matt. “But to me, it makes no difference. Nothing is won on paper.
“A couple of weeks ago, we were the better side but Wimbledon won the game. Likewise, my first-ever game for Plymouth was a defeat to Accrington. In a one-off game, anything can happen and if we play to our full potential, I’m confident we can do it.
“It’s actually been quite relaxed. Even before the Portsmouth game, that was the general mood and it’s kind of carried on. We’ve just been training like normal, trying to get everyone back in routine. It’s not a trip to Wembley, it’s another game we have to win.”