Plymouth Argyle boss Steven Schumacher admitted Ipswich had 'more energy and zip' in their play and deserved their win over his side on Saturday.

The visitors to Portman Road were playing their seventh game in 22 days, another reason Schumacher felt went against his side.

Already without Panutche Camara and Luke Jephcott due to international call-ups, the Pilgrims' cause was not helped either by injuries to James Bolton and 19-goal top scorer Ryan Hardie during the game.

"I felt for 15 minutes of the first half we started the game quite well, we had a lot of possession and just didn't really make the most of it," the Plymouth boss told Plymouth Live.

"And then once Ipswich got their goal it gave them a little bit of momentum and they were the stronger team probably after that.

"Second half I thought our lads gave it everything. We had a go, we put all the effort we possibly could in, but we lacked a little bit of quality in the main moments and didn't threaten their goal enough.

"We pushed them all the way without being at our best. It was a bit jaded, you could tell they (Ipswich) hadn't played midweek. They had a little bit more energy and zip about their play than what we did.

"Sometimes you have got to take the human factor into the equation. You can't expect our lads to be at their game 100 per cent every single week, it's just not physically possible.

"When you are not at it, then you have to stay in the game and we could have nicked one today from a set piece late on maybe."

Ipswich posed plenty of problems for Argyle in the first half with their attacking play on their right side, and Sam Morsy's winning goal came after a low cross from striker James Norwood.

Schumacher added: "Wes Burns down that side, he has got real good pace. They have got good players, it was one of their threats we spoke about before the game.

"I didn't think that was such a big issue. They got in once or twice, but that happens.

"What we spoke about at half-time was us being more positive with the ball. We just didn't pass it forwards enough in the first half. We passed it backwards too often and then that invited the press from them.

"We asked our lads to be more positive, get on the front foot, and try and play with more energy, which is tough after the week that we have had. I felt they did try and do that but we just didn't show enough quality at the end."