Schumacher fumes over Burton Albion equaliser
Burton made it 2-2 in the closing seconds after a drop ball was awarded
STEVEN Schumacher was angry with the decision-making firstyear EFL referee Martin Woods in Plymouth Argyle’s 2-2 draw away to Burton Albion, and especially over one key incident which led to his side conceding a last-gasp equaliser.
The table-topping Pilgrims had come from behind at half-time to take a 2-1 lead at the Pirelli Stadium with a penalty from substitute Ryan Hardie and a terrific left-foot finish from Bali Mumba.
They were on the brink of a win which would have retained their fourpoint lead over second-placed Ipswich Town, who had beaten Exeter City 2-0 at St James Park earlier in the day, until the dramatic finale.
There was a clash of heads between Argyle substitute Mickel Miller and Tom Hamer just outside the penalty area.
Schumacher was adamant a foul should have been awarded to Argyle but Woods, instead, decided there would be a drop ball.
Burton midfielder Terry Taylor was able to put in an unchallenged cross and three successive headers were won by the hosts inside the box before defender Adrian Mariappa applied the finishing touch.
Woods blew for full-time only seconds after play restarted and Schumacher was still fuming about the events surrounding the equaliser when he spoke to the media.
Schumacher said: “I thought that, especially after the second half performance, we probably deserved to win that game. We knew what we were going to face here.
“When you come to Burton Albion it’s not good to watch, especially early on in the game when they have got energy. They make it really hard for you and you have got to fight and scrap with them, which I felt we did do that quite well.
“We didn’t play any good football in the first half but we stood up to what they threw at us. Then, on the stroke of half-time, they get a little bit of luck where the ball bounces to them in the box and it goes in.
“I thought second half when we made our substitutions we showed loads of energy, loads of good quality, and scored two great goals from nice worked moves, and then looked the only team that was going to go on and win it.
“But some of the decisions that went against us late on in the game were crazy, especially for the drop ball. It should have definitely been a foul for us.
“Mickel Miller heads it, I have just watched it, and their player butts him in the back of the head. It was the sort of fouls that went on all day. We didn’t get the decision, they get a drop ball and unfortunately it has cost us.”
Schumacher continued: “I was trying to ask the fourth official (Carl Boyeson) what the referee had given. It wasn’t clear what he had given.
“I don’t know whether he told any of the players but it looked as though the referee dropped it really quick to their player, right on the half volley, and he has put it in the box, so I felt it was a strange one.”
“There were decisions all day - late tackles, and Nigel Lonwijk got taken out twice and nothing gets done about it.
“There were tackles late on Matt Butcher and Jordan Houghton in the first half and he (Woods) let them get away with too much. He just didn’t ever get a grip of the game.”
Argyle now have a two-week break before their next league game, which will be against Port Vale at Home Park on Friday, December 2.