Pompey’s unbeaten home record in League One will certainly be put to the test over the Christmas period. Leaders Wycombe visit the south coast on Boxing Day after second-placed Ipswich make the trip this weekend. The Tractor Boys are aiming to bounce back to the Championship at the first attempt after finishing bottom last season. And Paul Lambert’s men made an excellent start to the current campaign, only to see their form tail off in recent weeks. They have failed to win any of their past four league fixtures – which included a goalless stalemate with the Chairboys – and also exited the FA Cup following a replay defeat to Coventry. The East Anglian outfit have at least progressed to the third round of the Leasing.com Trophy, seeing off Peterborough on penalties. Ipswich do have an impressive record on the road, with seven of their 10 three-point hauls coming away from Portman Road. The sides have not met since an FA Cup third round clash during the 2015/16 campaign, with Pompey upsetting their higher-ranked opponents in a Fratton Park replay. TEAM NEWS Lee Brown (Achilles) and Brandon Haunstrup (meniscus) are both missing after requiring operations on their injuries. Christian Burgess is available again following a one-match ban, while Oli Hawkins could return having missed the last game following the birth of his son. Bryn Morris (groin) is the only other player currently in the treatment room, while Jack Whatmough is not yet ready for selection. Ipswich will be without Danny Rowe (knee) and Freddie Sears (knee), but Luke Chambers (neck) could be back. HEAD TO HEAD Overall Pompey: 12 wins Ipswich: 19 wins 12 draws At Fratton Park Pompey: 4 wins Ipswich: 10 wins 7 draws TICKETS Fratton Park is full to capacity for Saturday’s game, but fans can check the eticketing site to see if any seats become available via the ticket exchange. OFFICIALS Referee: Brett Huxtable Assistants: Garry Maskell and Bhupinder Gill Fourth Official: Gary Parsons BETTING Pompey are the 23/20 favourites with Sky Bet to secure all three points, while the visitors can be backed at 9/4.
Good result. I put this down as an away win on Anti's prediction league (of which I'm rooted to the bottom) - You're welcome!
What a pleasant surprise to come home, turn on the computer and find Pompey won. Where we are after the festive round of fixtures, I do not know, but I have a feeling PFC are going to at least be in and around the play-offs going into the month of April. I feel there is very little difference between the teams and the top and the likes of Accrington Stanley, who as we all know put Pompey to the sword. In fact it is one of the most even leagues as anyone could beat anyone on a given day, and is nowhere as predictable as the PL or even Championship where the top two are walking away with it, although Leeds have managed to implode season after season in the second half. Back to Pompey and great to see Curtis on the scoresheet again. Bet there were some Championship scouts there looking at him. And he would do well in the Championship.
An excellent win today against a very good Ipswich team. Three well earned points. The goal from Ronan Curtis in the 50th minute was superb. It was his 9th goal of the season - not bad for a winger ! Very good performance also from Andy Cannon who replaced John Marquis in the number ten role. Ipswich were quite aggressive, with seven yellow cards and a red for skipper Luke Chambers following his two yellows. Also the referee booked their assistant manager Stuart Taylor for something he said to the fourth official. Home to top of the table Wycombe Wanderers on Boxing Day - should be a cracker !!!
Final match stats:- Home Team: Portsmouth .........Away Team: Ipswich Possession: Home 42% Away 58% Shots: Home 15 Away 8 Shots on Target: Home 8 Away 2 Corners: Home 5 Away 2 Fouls: Home 10 Away 22
As It Stands:- .........Team... ....P GD Pts 1 Wycombe ......21 15 43 2 Peterborough 21 18 36 3 Ipswich ..........20 13 36 4 Bristol Rovers 20 4 35 5 Coventry .........21 3 34 6 Oxford Utd .....20 18 33 7 Blackpool .......21 6 33 8 Rotherham .....21 11 32 9 Fleetwood ......19 7 31 10 Portsmouth ..20 6 31 11 Shrewsbury ..20 -1 31 12 Gillingham ....21 3 28 13 Sunderland ..19 4 27 14 Burton ..........20 1 27 15 Doncaster ....18 6 25 16 Lincoln City ..20 -2 24 17 Accrington ...21 -1 23 18 Rochdale ......21 -13 22 19 Wimbledon ...21 -7 20 20 Tranmere ......20 -11 20 21 MK Dons .......21 -15 17 22 Southend ......22 -38 7 23 Bolton ...........18 -27 5
What a good result -and well deserved by all accounts. I home we persevere with Cannon on boxing day.
