Pompey will bring a memorable year of matches at Fratton Park to a close when they host Coventry on Saturday (12.30pm kick-off). The home faithful know that their side need to collect at least a point if they are to celebrate Christmas outside of the Championship's bottom three. Their next opponents are seven places higher in 15th spot as they try to mount their own climb up the table. Frank Lampard is the man tasked with improving their standing following the controversial decision to end Mark Robins' seven-and-a-half-year spell in charge last month. The former England international has made an encouraging start to the job, with victories over Millwall and Hull, a draw against Cardiff and a solitary defeat at West Brom. That will give supporters hope that City can yet bridge the 10-point gap to the play-off places by the end of the season. They narrowly missed out on that achievement last term, with a poor run of form late on perhaps explained by a run to the FA Cup semi-finals, where they were beaten on penalties by Manchester United. Saturday will see the first competitive meeting between the sides since the 2019/20 League One campaign. The south coast contest in August is one Pompey fans would rather forget, as nine-man Coventry recovered from a 3-1 deficit to snatch a draw. TEAM NEWS Jacob Farrell (knee), Conor Shaughnessy (calf), Mark O'Mahony (hip), Jordan Williams (hamstring) and Kusini Yengi (knee) are all sidelined for Pompey. Ibane Bowat is set to miss the the rest of the season with a serious knee injury, while Regan Poole (hamstring) is a doubt. Ben Wilson (knee) and Haji Wright (ankle) are the only players currently absent for the visitors. VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM Read the thoughts of John Mousinho and Josh Murphy ahead of the big game. HEAD TO HEAD Overall Pompey: 13 wins Coventry: 16 wins 7 draws At Fratton Park Pompey: 9 wins Coventry: 4 wins 5 draws Last Home Meeting Pompey 3 (Curtis, Marquis, Evans) Coventry 3 (Hiwula, Godden, Rose) Championship March 17 2012 TICKETS Tickets have sold out, but the ticket exchange will remain open until two hours before kick-off. Click here to read our matchday guide to find out what is happening around the ground ahead of the game. OFFICIALS Referee: Dean Whitestone Assistants: Daniel Leach and Matthew Jones Fourth Official: Alan Young Whitestone last took charge of Pompey when they were beaten 1-0 by Millwall at Fratton Park in the Carabao Cup back in August, booking two home players and one from the opposition. MATCH COVERAGE Supporters in the UK can watch the game live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football or via the Sky Sports+ app. The game is available for international broadcast, including on CBS Sports Golazo Network and Paramount+ in the USA. It will only be available to stream on Pompey+ in unsold international markets. Click here for more information on the EFL's unsold territories. The pre-match show is live before the game for all Pompey+ subscribers and overseas fans with a video subscription/match pass. George Wedlake will be joined in the Fratton Park studio by Andy Awford and Paul Hardyman. Fans can get involved by sending messages and voicenotes to our Pompey+ WhatsApp channel* on +44 7457 413694 or via this link. Please note that live video coverage of half-time and post-match shows is only available for fans in regions where the game is being shown live on Pompey+. Audio commentary from Andrew Moon and Guy Whittingham is available for Pompey+ subscribers or those who purchase an audio subscription/match pass. Click here for more details about using Pompey+, including the answers to some frequently asked questions. Locally-based fans who are not going to the game can listen as always via BBC Radio Solent or Express FM (not available online). *Please note that the WhatsApp service is only for sending messages to appear on the matchday show. The club will not be able to reply to any messages.
Coventry City Starting Line Up:- Number40, B. Collins Number3, J. Dasilva Number2, L. Binks Number4, B. Thomas Number27, M. van Ewijk Number14, B. Sheaf (c), Captain Number29, V. Torp Number10, E. Mason-Clark Number5, J. Rudoni Number7, T. Sakamoto Number37, N. Bassette Substitutes:- Number8, J. Allen Number21, J. Bidwell Number28, J. Eccles Number15, L. Kitching Number22, J. Latibeaudiere Number1, O. Dovin Number9, E. Simms Number30, Fábio Tavares Number23, B. Thomas-Asante
two very good Lang goals see Pompey leading 2-1 at half time. However, Coventry have certainly had chances and our defense has looked shaky at times. Schmid has had a very good first half.
Final whistle. Tremendous 4-1 home win for Pompey, with all four goals scored by Callum Lang !! That takes his season's tally to a very impressive 9 goals - not bad for a winger. Watched the game live on SkySports+. The three points take us out of the bottom three, up to 20th in the table, especially with Hull winning as well, dumping Oxford United into the bottom three, with Argyle now bottom of the table.....
Andrew Aloia BBC Sport Callum Lang scored all four of Portsmouth's goals as they moved out of the Championship relegation places with a stunning come-from-behind victory against Frank Lampard's Coventry City. A tap-in from Norman Bassette gave the Sky Blues the ideal start at Fratton Park, but after the Belgian squandered a huge chance to double the advantage Lang restored parity with a hopeful shot that snuck into the bottom corner. The Pompey striker then went on to fire the hosts into the lead at the end of a thrilling first half in which Coventry also hit the woodwork and had an effort cleared off the line. Lang got his hat-trick with a header immediately after the break, and he pounced to make it four after Coventry goalkeeper Bradley Collins clawed the ball back off the line and into the forward's path. Portsmouth's third win in a four-game unbeaten run at home moves them up to 20th in the table and within four points and four places of Coventry. The ultimately convincing win not only came after a slow start, but also off the back of a crushing 4-0 defeat by Derby County just a week earlier. For Lampard - who had overseen two wins, a draw and only one loss from his first four games at the helm – it was chastening first meeting with Pompey as a head coach. In contrast, the former Chelsea and England midfielder had previously won all 16 meetings with the south coast club in his illustrious playing career. It had started so well for Coventry, as a sweeping counter attack ended with Ephron Mason-Clark floating in from the left wing to fizz a low ball across the face of goal for Bassette to finish at the back post from point-blank range. The Belgian should have made it two in two minutes, but he failed to beat onrushing goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid in a one-on-one after being set free by a long ball over the top by Ben Sheaf. Bassette also created a chance for Jack Rudoni before Portsmouth hit back through Lang, whose fierce low effort from outside the box skipped off the turf and beyond Coventry goalkeeper Collins after the visitors failed to properly clear a corner. Coventry had numerous chances to reclaim the lead, with Mason-Clark thumping a fierce shot against the base of the post, while Schmid did well to again bound off his line to smother the threat of Rudoni. In two hectic minutes late in the half, Connor Ogilvie saw a half-volley saved before finding himself in the perfect position to clear off his own line after Bassette almost bundled the ball home as he stumbled through challenges in the box. Within minutes, Portsmouth had the lead. A searching ball from Freddie Potts, which Jay Dasilva failed to deal with on the edge of the area, allowed Lang to take the ball down in the box before unleashing a stunning shot into the top corner from a tight angle. Lang was clinical in extending Pompey's advantage after the interval. The 26-year-old first found himself unmarked from a corner to nod home for his hat-trick, and he instinctively followed up to make it 4-1 after Collins needed two attempts to keep Colby Bishop out. The stranglehold that John Mousinho's side had after that was never threatened, with the game in added time before Rudoni managed to test Schmid for the first time in the second half. Portsmouth C. Lang (14', 43', 48', 55')Goal 14 minutes, Goal 43 minutes, Goal 48 minutes, Goal 55 minutes Coventry City N. Bassette (3')Goal 3 minutes Assists Portsmouth - C. Bishop (14'), F. Potts (48') Coventry City - E. Mason-Clark (3')
Final Match Stats:- Overall possession Portsmouth 43.7%Coventry City 56.3% Shots Portsmouth 12Coventry City 7 Shots on target Portsmouth 7Coventry City 3 Total touches inside the box Portsmouth 26Coventry City 16 Goalkeeper saves Portsmouth 2Coventry City 3 Fouls Portsmouth 14Coventry City 14 Corners Portsmouth 10Coventry City 2
Callum Lang with his signed match ball. Well deserved man of the match! please log in to view this image
Very much a game of two halves. Slightly lucky to be ahead at half time and then very much the dominant force for the second half. The outstanding feature of Lang's goals was their quality. Even though the goalkeeper may have felt he should have saved the first it was an accurate and powerful shot from outside the area. The second was sublimely taken. Absolutely blasted into the roof of the net whilst having his shirt pulled!! The third was a brilliant header. He sneaked into a vacant position while the defenders were all intent on marking the taller players. I am not sure of the popular habit of defenders only concentrating on the man they are marking at the expense of watching the flight of a corner or free kick. It was possibly this habit that created the space and opportunity for Lang. He, never-the-less jumped high to head downwards - and into the net - brilliantly. So Lang not only had a hat trick - he had a hat trick of exceptional goals. Lang's last goal was effectively a "right place at the right time" tap in -a skill not to be underestimated. I hope Bishop got the assist for the last goal. He got off a brilliant shot from Ogilve's cross which was brilliantly parried by the goal keeper allowing the ball to fall for Lang. I thought Bishop had a very good game. At the beginning of the season it was an unknown if his skills were Championship standard. Despite heart surgery at this stage I think we can say he has made the transition better than most. Lang's performance will mean defenses plan how to better mark him in future fixtures. This could draw attention away from Bishop. If so Bishop is the right man to capitalize on it. I thought Towler was caught out position a few times in the first half. However, I would like to see him persevered with. I thought he was unlucky to be dropped earlier in the season and it is difficult to maintain form when you are not playing. I think the need to acquire a cental defender in the window has been slightly over done. We have four (three of which are currently injured but will return next year) and Pack and Ogilvie that can play there if necessary. As mentioned before, we can thank Schmid for keeping us in the game in the first half. In the second half - with the exception of one good save - he was able to have a well earned rest. Richie also had a very good game. He was not substituted around the 60 - 70 minute mark, as is usually the case, but there was no drop off of effort from him in the last half hour. His dead ball deliveries were excellent. PUP!!
Great analysis "Oz" The worst thing in the world would be to panic buy a centre-half in January when there some very capable ones here that just need to recovery from.their injuries.
I feel Pompey have a better Championship side than the ones that spent years languishing in the bottom.half of the Championship for much of the 90s!!
