Sat 26th Mar
League One
Kick-off 15:00

IPS Ipswich

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PLY Argyle

Training

Steven Schumacher praises his side’s form as an ‘unbelievable achievement’ as they look to make it seven on the spin without conceding, when they travel to Ipswich Town on Saturday.

A win would go a long way to maintaining Argyle’s charge towards the play off places and keep their chances of automatic promotion very much alive.

Speaking more about his side’s form, Steven said, “I think everyone can be quite pleased with how March has gone so far, six wins, six clean sheets on the bounce is an unbelievable achievement.

“We knew we needed to pick up a lot of points, as many points as possible because the run-in is going to be hard

“We’re all excited with the games ahead now.”

The Pilgrims have also boasted an excellent defensive record to pair with their winning ways.

Another shutout for goalkeeper Mike Cooper on Saturday would equal an Argyle record for consecutive clean sheets kept by a goalkeeper.

“Mike, he’s kept six clean sheets in a row,” Steven said, “in all of those games, he had to make a big save at a big time.

“The lads in front of him have to concentrate, they’re having to work really hard. The information that they get given day in, day out from Keith, from Nance… it’s relentless.

“The players are taking it all on board and I know that they’ll be feeling the benefit of it.”

This weekend’s opponents, Ipswich, are a side who have not lost since late January and currently sit ninth in the table.

They are six points off the play off places and only have to play three of the top 10 in their last seven matches.

“It will be a tough game”, Steven said, assessing this weekend’s home side.

“Ipswich has been flying since Kieran McKenna has gone in there.

“They’re in good form and they’ve got some real good players in the squad.”

Talking more about the opposition’s manager, who is two years younger than Steven, he said, “I think Kieran’s done brilliantly, another young coach and I hear he’s a top coach.

“They’ve got a system going that seems to suit them and as I said, they’ve got great players anyway.

“Kieran’s gone in there, got them organised, got them playing good football.

“Hopefully it will be an exciting game for everybody to watch.”

An important factor in the Greens’ success so far has been keeping players fit and ready to play in games both home and away.

Steven gave credit to the people who have made this possible,” We’ve got a medical team and a performance team that do their very, very best to get the players on the pitch every week.

“The lads, training-wise, we can’t put too much through them physically, but we still have to go through the information because we have to be organised going into these big games.

The business end of the season is well underway, and Steven has spoken more about the excitement around the club, “people are talking, dreaming. That’s fine, that’s what we want.

“It’s the best situation you want to be in, we want to embrace that.”

TEAM NEWS

Once again, Panutche Camara and Luke Jephcott will be unavailable for Argyle with both away in international duty.

Saturday’s game will probably come too soon for Dan Scarr, who has returned to first team training this week.

Kayden Jackson missed the draw with Oxford United last weekend due to injury and is likely to be unavailable again for Saturday.

Sam Morsy picked up a knock in the draw with Portsmouth last week but did feature as a substitute on Saturday.

Midfielder Lee Evans is out though.

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are no longer being sold for this match and there is no pay on the day facility at Ipswich.

ARGYLE TV

With the game being selected for international broadcast, no video streaming will be available on Argyle TV. You can find out where the game is being shown where you live here.

We will be providing audio commentary from Portman Road, which will cost £2.50. 

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Argyle unable to find a breakthrough at Ipswich

Ipswich Town 1 
Morsy 37 

Argyle 0 

On Paul Mariner Day at Portman Road, a solitary goal from the home captain proved the difference, as both clubs paid tribute to their legendary former striker. 

Given the goalscoring brilliance of Mariner in his pomp, it was one of those days when clear chances were conspicuously absent, apart from the simple tap-in converted by Sam Morsy just before half-time. 

Argyle manager Steven Schumacher made two changes from the midweek win over Cheltenham, Steven Sessegnon and Adam Randell coming in for Conor Grant and Ryan Broom, while the Pilgrim bench included fit-again Dan Scarr and Alfie Lewis. 

The home side entered the game on a run of 10 games unbeaten and they were first to muster a shot, Sone Aluko manufacturing room in the left channel for an effort that safely hit the side-netting of Mike Cooper’s goal. 

Argyle settled in the Suffolk sunshine with midfield trio Jordan Houghton, Danny Mayor and Randell calmly controlling possession, switching the ball from side to side in search of a gap in a Town defence that had not conceded in five straight home games. 

A nervy moment for goalkeeper Christian Walton, formerly of the Pilgrim parish, almost presented Ryan Hardie with a golden chance, but Ipswich recovered with a slick move down the right and a Wes Burns cross thankfully eluded the forward runners. 

A fine defensive block from Macaulay Gillesphey stunted the next home attack before Argyle again quelled a fervent home atmosphere with some controlled passing. The Greens were then disrupted by an enforced substitution, James Bolton limping off to be replaced by Romoney Crichlow. 

A terrific exchange of passes between Hardie and Niall Ennis conjured some room for Mayor to set the ball back to Sessegnon, who fired narrowly wide. Ipswich replied with a header from Burns that lacked the power to trouble Cooper. 

The game turned decisively in Ipswich’s favour on 37 minutes, James Norwood picking up a lofted ball into the right channel and he fired a low cross that provided Morsy with an easy finish from close range. Norwood then fired over from the edge of the box, as Town sought to build on their advantage. 

After such a brilliant recent run of form, it was a first period of attacking frustration for the Greens but there was a definite sense of Argyle playing higher up the pitch after the restart, with Mayor floating around in his quest for space to influence. 

A couple of corners briefly stretched the Ipswich defence but it was responsible covering from Sessegnon at the other end that ensured Bersant Celina was unable to reach a threaded pass by Norwood. 

Ipswich freshened up their forward ranks with the introduction of Macaulay Bonne and Conor Chaplin for Norwood and Aluko, while Schumacher turned to Ryan Broom in place of Houghton. 

Referee David Rock interrupted with a strange decision on 70 minutes, seemingly ignoring the advantage rule when calling for a foul on Ennis, who was immediately on his feet and slipping a delightful pass to Broom in the penalty area. 

Argyle’s afternoon took an unwanted turn with Hardie pulling up with a muscle injury. Jordon Garrick was the swift replacement but the game entered the final ten minutes with the Pilgrims still struggling to find their normal attacking zest.  

When Broom did find an inviting low cross, there was a lack of Greens in the danger area waiting to pounce. Captain Joe Edwards took up the mantle to inject something extra to the Pilgrims and his pass to Broom forced a corner. 

Argyle recycled the ball for a James Wilson header across goal that very nearly found Gillesphey at the far post before Ipswich countered and Burns had a glorious chance to seal the win but dragged his shot wide from a great position. 

It was, however, a day that belonged to Ipswich Town.  

Ipswich Town (3-4-3): 28 Christian Walton; 44 Janoi Donacien, 6 Luke Woolfenden, 26 Cameron Burgess; 7 Wes Burns, 12 Tyreeq Bakinson, 55 Sam Morsy (capt), 22 Dominic Thompson; 10 James Norwood (18 Macauley Bonne 64), 43 Bersant Celina, 23 Sone Aluko (21 Conor Chaplin 64). Substitutes: 31 Vaclav Hladky (gk), 3 Matt Penney, 9 Joe Pigott, 25 Tom Carroll, 43 Elkan Baggott. 

Booked: Morsy 28, Burns 63 

Argyle (3-5-2): 1 Mike Cooper; 5 James Wilson, 2 James Bolton (33 Romoney Crichlow 25), 3 Macaulay Gillesphey; 8 Joe Edwards (capt), 20 Adam Randell, 4 Jordan Houghton (7 Ryan Broom 68), 10 Danny Mayor, 17 Steven Sessegnon; 11 Niall Ennis, 9 Ryan Hardie (14 Jordon Garrick 75). Substitutes: 25 Callum Burton (gk), 6 Dan Scarr, 16 Alfie Lewis, 27 Ryan Law. 

Booked: Crichlow 76 

Attendance: 23,256 (1,291) 

Referee: David Rock