There is plenty at stake at both ends of the League One table when visit Swindon this evening (6pm kick-off). A run of three games without a win has seen the Blues drop just outside of the play-off places with five fixtures remaining. Their hosts, meanwhile, are desperate to remain in the division, although time is running out to preserve their third tier status. In fact, the Robins – who are bottom of the table – could be relegated tonight if they lose and both AFC Wimbledon and Wigan win their matches. The Wiltshire outfit have lost each of their past five games to leave them seven points adrift of safety. And a 4-1 defeat at Plough Lane on Saturday led to John Sheridan stepping down as manager, having only replaced Richie Wellens in November. His assistant Tommy Wright has been placed in charge for the remainder of the campaign, working alongside Lee Peacock from the academy. Relegation would ensure an immediate return to League Two, with Swindon claiming the title – pipping Crewe on the points-per-game method – last term. Pompey do not have fond memories of their last competitive trip to the County Ground, with a 5-0 defeat ensuring a miserable first day of 2013. But goals from Ronan Curtis and Ellis Harrison ensured a 2-0 victory when the sides met on the south coast a couple of months ago. TEAM NEWS Alex Bass (foot), Ben Close (groin), Ellis Harrison (knee), Jordy Hiwula (ankle) and Michael Jacobs (knee) are all still sidelined. Jack Whatmough starts a four-match ban following his second red card of the season at MK Dons on Saturday, while there are doubts over the fitness of Lee Brown (hamstring) and Andy Cannon (back). Mathieu Baudry, Zeki Fryers, Rob Hunt, Ellis Iandolo (all hamstring), Dion Conroy (Achilles) and Akin Odimayo (knee) are all in the Swindon treatment room. Paul Caddis (hamstring) could also miss out, but Brett Pitman is likely to feature against his former club. HEAD TO HEAD Overall Pompey: 24 wins Swindon: 28 wins 18 draws At County Ground Pompey: 9 wins Swindon: 18 wins 8 draws OFFICIALS Referee: Ben Toner Assistants: Stephen Brown and Garry Maskell Fourth Official: Michael Chard BETTING Pompey are the 3/4 favourites with VBET to secure all three points, while the hosts can be backed at 7/2.
It had to be Brett with the goal. Pompey don't seem to have a goal.within them. This needs to be sorted during the close season. Whatever happens, the Fratton revolving door is going to be very busy in the summer.
1-0 to Swindon with a lovely goal in the 18th minute from Brett Pitman (who else!) against his old club. We have huffed and puffed, with clear chances for John Marquis, Marcus Harness and Ronan Curtis. The players still look knackered. It's nice to see our opponents playing fairly, unlike MK Dons, with all their diving and falling down every five minutes !
Half Time Match Stats:- Home Team: Swindon ...........Away Team: Portsmouth Possession: Home 37% Away 63% Shots: Home 7 Away 9 Shots on Target: Home 3 Away 3 Corners: Home 2 Away 4 Fouls: Home 4 Away 3
You are a fan who is level-headed. On FB many are tearing their hair out in frustration with all and sundry connected with the club from the owners to the players.
Final whistle. 3-1 to Swindon. Well deserved win for them. We were absolutely awful, and deserved nothing from the game. On the hour, Charlie Daniels for the second match running conceded a penalty, which Brett Pitman put away with aplomb in the 61st minute. We replaced Charlie Daniels who had been booked for conceding the penalty, with George Byers in the 70th minute. In the 71st minute Thompson was booked for fouling Marcus Harness. In the 74th minute we replaced Sean Raggett with James Bolton, and in the 82nd minute replaced Ben Close with Andy Cannon. We pulled a goal back in the 82nd minute with a goal from Ronan Curtis, from a Marquis pass. Rasmus Nicolaisen was booked for a foul in the 85th minute. Swindon scored a breakaway goal from Tyler Smith after 90 +1 minute which finally finished us off. There was still time though for Andy Cannon to be booked for a foul in the 93rd minute. That's us out of the play offs this season. Absolute disgrace
I've had enough to be honest Ides. John Marquis was poor again, as was our passing. I really thought that once Ronan Curtis had pulled us back into the game at 2-1, but we failed to take any chances, with a brilliant shot from George Byers superbly pushed round the post by Lee Camp. The "honeymoon period" under the Cowley brothers is now well and truly over. It isn't happening anymore is it?.........
Thank you Woopert's for keeping us informed of tonight's dismal proceedings. 20 shots on goal, 8 on target,, two thirds of the possession but ...... For as long as I have been following Pompey, a stench of mediocrity has enveloped the club. After securing promotion back to the second tier in 1961, the club were always in the bottom half of the division except in 1967/68.. The pattern continued afterwards and as such we were rewarded with two relegations that ended in two good seasons in the 4th tier. I could harp on and on, but whenever we have been in the second tier in my lifetime it has been season after season of mediocrity. This symptom has now encroached on us in the third tier.. What to do about it? I am sure the American owners want a successful club. Likewise Catlin and the players. What the endemic problem is I do not know but something is missing to make the club function properly on and off the pitch. I think the issue needs to be addressed on the playing side. at all levels. I have said it before and I will say it again, we need to bring in more Afro -Caribbean players as these guys have a zest and energy about them That means scouting London at all levels. We got Lowe from non-league and look how good he is. We need to pursue this route .
I feel your pain. I am sure the Cowleys are assessing the situatión and thinking, "is this what we want?" In my bones I feel the Cowleys will be off. And the fall guy might well be Catlin. The Americans know how to put on a nice face, say sweet things .. but underneath they are lethal business operators. What their long term goal is, is revealed by what is going on, on and off the pitch. I feel tonight is the conclusión of the Jackett era and for.a number of players bought by him. How you move players on still under.contract and with diminishing appeal, only a conjuror can answer. Johnson, Curtis and Close could interest teams higher up the EFL pyramid. As for the others, we are stuffed ....
Final Match Stats:- Home Team: Swindon ..........Away Team: Portsmouth Possession: Home 32% Away 68% Shots: Home 13 Away 19 Shots on Target: Home 8 Away 8 Corners: Home 2 Away 11 Fouls: Home 8 Away 9
In a way I feel sorry for the Cowley brothers, as they inherited Kenny Jackett's players, and after a good start winning the first four games under their tenure, we have suffered numerous badly timed injuries to key players in the squad. Two strikers - Ellis Harrison and Jordy Hiwula - are out for the rest of the season, as are keeper Alex Bass and winger Michael Jacobs. We have also lost left back Lee Brown, and Andy Cannon, Ben Close and John Marquis are all apparently carrying injuries. Add to that the loss of Jack Whatmough with a four match ban after his second red card of the season, and our first team squad is decimated. I don't think I have ever witnessed so many injuries in a season at the same time ! There will indeed be a massive clear out of players end of the season, but we must retain the likes of MacGillivray / Bass / Curtis / Close / Harness / Johnson, to name but six players as the nucleus of the existing squad, and then add some experienced signings, as well as a number of youngsters being released by Premier League and Championship clubs. We have already given trials to young Chelsea midfielder Pierre Ekwah, Man Utd centre half Max Taylor, as well as Crystal Palace keeper Rohan Luthra.
As It Stands:- ................ ...........P GD Pts 1 Hull .................43 40 83 2 Peterborough 42 33 79 3 Sunderland ....42 27 72 4 Lincoln City ....41 21 72 5 Blackpool .......41 17 68 6 Charlton .........41 12 66 7 Oxford Utd .....43 14 65 8 Portsmouth ....42 12 65
The players need to just go out and enjoy playing. I feel as if they have played under duress for much of the season which has affected both the style of play and the quality of play. Who knows, perhaps it is our turn to score 6 on Saturday, like Charlton did tonight after weeks of firing blanks?
