Pompey will look to bring their fine away form back to Fratton Park when they host Plymouth this weekend. Kenny Jackett’s side have been beaten just once on the road this season, but have as many losses – five – as they do wins on home soil. Their next opponents, meanwhile, have tasted success just twice outside of Devon in the third tier, but both of those triumphs came recently. In fact, victories at Sunderland and Swindon were Argyle’s two most recent away fixtures and form part of an unbeaten league start to 2021. It has seen Ryan Lowe’s men climb up to 14th in the standings, although they are still 10 points behind the Blues having played one match more. Since losing at home to Oxford just after Christmas, their only reverse was at top-flight Sheffield United in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The Pilgrims claimed the final automatic promotion spot from League Two last term, sitting in third position when the action was halted by Covid-19 in March. Pompey are unbeaten in the past seven meetings between the side, with Ronan Curtis’ brace and a Jamal Lowe strike securing a 3-0 win in the most recent Fratton fixture in September 2018. But the spoils were shared at Home Park back earlier in the current campaign, as John Marquis and Tom Naylor found the target in a televised 2-2 draw. TEAM NEWS Jack Whatmough continues his three-match ban following a red card against Lincoln, while Alex Bass (leg) and Paul Downing (hamstring) remain sidelined. But Ben Close should be available for selection again after returning to training following a hamstring injury. Plymouth will be without George Cooper (knee) and Lewis Macleod (ankle), as well as skipper Gary Sawyer (ankle). HEAD TO HEAD Overall Pompey: 28 wins Plymouth: 25 wins 15 draws At Fratton Park Pompey: 18 wins Plymouth: 10 wins 5 draws OFFICIALS Referee: Will Finnie Assistants: Aaron Farmer and Darren Blunden Fourth Official: Paul Howard BETTING Pompey are the 8/11 favourites with VBET to secure all three points, while the visitors can be backed at 15/4.
0-0 at half-time. Plymouth started the game well, but Pompey took control, and won corner after corner (eleven in total !) and went close a few times. We have had the better chances, as the half-time stats show. Should be a good second half.
Half-time Match Stats:- Home Team: Portsmouth......... Away Team: Plymouth Possession: Home 42% Away 58% Shots: Home 7 Away 4 Shots on Target: Home 3 Away 0 Corners: Home 11 Away 2 Fouls: Home 3 Away 5
Final whistle, and it's a 2-2 draw, with Pompey two nil down with only 5 minutes to go, fighting back brilliantly with goals from Ronan Curtis in the 86th minute after robbing an Argyle defender. A minute later, a lovely cross from Marcus Harness is headed home by James Bolton for the equaliser ! Argyle scored their two goals from Jephcott in the 71st and 82nd minutes against the run of play. Why on earth did Argyles' manager substitute Jephcott in the 84th minute ? He must have thought that they had won the game already. What a plonker !!
Final Match Stats:- Home Team: Portsmouth ..... Away Team: Plymouth Possession: Home 50% Away 50% Shots: Home 27 Away 9 Shots on Target: Home 7 Away 3 Corners: Home 16 Away 5 Fouls: Home 16 Away 10
I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I suppose I should be relieved with Pompey managing to secure a draw in the last five minutes after being 2 down. The good thing being that the teams around us, Sunderland and Accrington did not make up on the two points we dropped. If we make the play-offs, I will regard that as being successful and then believing that the dice will roll in our favour for once. One more thing, it is a good job Pompey don't rely on the strikers for goals, otherwise we might be in the lower half of the table. And time for Harness to start scoring goals again.
please log in to view this image Pitch covered ahead of Pompey’s match with Swindon Town on Tuesday evening.
We should have taken some of our first half chances, @poshfan. Argyle scored two 'tap in' goals, and we then attacked them with a vengeance, and scored two excellent goals. Can't believe that their dozy manager took off their two goal striker when he did. He obviously thought they had already won the match! Just shows how wrong he was
Yes our pitch dosnt help least we up to 3rd in table and your just behind And i think we got a game in hand of yourself team im worried about beside yourself is oxford
Here's the up-to-date table - we have played the same number of games, and both have a game in hand over Hull........ please log in to view this image
