The inside track on Portsmouth and what Hull City can expect The Tigers travel to Fratton Park on Saturday please log in to view this image Hull City's Greg Docherty battles with Portsmouth's Marcus Harness (Image: CameraSport - Alex Dodd) Hull City travel to Fratton Park on Saturday to take on fellow promotion chasers Portsmouth. It’s clash that, even at this stage of the season, looks a six-pointer with both sides looking to secure promotion back to the Championship. The two sides will know each other well having met at the KCOM Stadium last month, but we got the inside track on what City can expect from Hampshire Live’s Portsmouth reporter Jonty Colman. What has Portsmouth’s form been like? Pretty good. In League One, Pompey have not lost since the 1-0 defeat at Blackpool on December 1, picking up 16 points from a possible 18 including wins over City, Peterborough United, Ipswich Town and Fleetwood Town. The major gripe this season has been their home form but the Blues have now not lost at Fratton Park in League One since the start of November, the latest of those being a convincing 4-0 win over AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night. What has been the key to recent success? Consistency and good game management. In recent league matches, the Blues have beaten many of their promotion-chasing rivals, often being good without being outstanding. The defence has been outstanding, having not conceded in their last six league matches. If they avoid conceding for the first 72 minutes this weekend, it will be a post-war record in the league. To sign up for the Hull City newsletter, click here How are the Portsmouth team shaping up for this clash? Pretty well, in truth. After their trip to the KCOM Stadium before Christmas, their next three league games were postponed, so they had to wait over three weeks to play again. Pompey have won both league matches against Fleetwood and Wimbledon this year, a positive step, despite exiting both the FA Cup and the Papa John’s Trophy. Defenders Jack Whatmough and Lee Brown both missed last month’s win but both are now back and will start on Saturday, all being well. please log in to view this image City and Pompey before the game at the KCOM(Image: CameraSport - Alex Dodd) Has anything changed from the last meeting between the two sides? Cam Pring, who started at the KCOM Stadium, has since been recalled by parent club Bristol City. Pompey also signed teenage midfielder Harvey White on loan from Tottenham Hotspur earlier this week, although it is likely that he will only make the bench. With Brown being the club’s only senior left-back, Pompey are hopeful of adding a second senior left-back before this weekend to the club. Charlie Daniels, who scored the winner for Shrewsbury Town against City earlier this season has been linked, as has Birmingham City’s Steve Seddon. Are Portsmouth conceding many chances, despite not conceding many goals? They are conceding chances, but not many of them have been clear cut. When they have been, either the opposition have been wasteful or goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray has matched it with a fine save of his own. Pompey have been resolute, especially given the nature of the opposition they have faced recently. The fact they have not conceded in League One since December 1 or lost since then speaks volumes, especially when you consider the difficulty of the opposition they have faced. What is the mood around the club, do they want the title or will they settle for promotion? This is Kenny Jackett’s fourth season as manager in Hampshire and after three near-misses and two play-off exits, this season feels crucial. A portion of fans still want the manager to depart, but others have been swayed by the recent form. No promotion this season will likely lead to the exits of many key players due to the EFL’s salary cap. For that reason, promotion is crucial this season, on and off the pitch. While the title would be ideal, guaranteed promotion would trump that completely.
So we have 72 minutes to score a goal and ruin their post war record. Proves the really good form they are in, let's hope we are on one of our good days and we do um.
This is a tough one, I would be happy with a point, but we did look good against A. Stanley, so if we play well, and get Crowley/KLP/Wilks & Whyte on the ball, we might just sneak a win.
It will be a tough one - I've thought that Portsmouth have looked the strongest team in the division since about October. However, I also thought that Accrington were not far behind them so, there's definitely a chance of 3 points for us as long as City can match the intensity they showed on Tuesday night.
Pompey fan here. Not feeling confident about this one. Seems like it's too soon since we last played you, and I can imagine GM will be desperate not to lose. Just feel like we are gonna come unstuck. Wilks and KLP are two of the best in this division IMO. Magennis ain't bad either, and I think Covid was affecting him in the last match we played. Having said that I still think it will be you guys and us in the Autos come May .
Fingers crossed. My Sister lives in Southsea and this is a game I’d loved to have attended. I’d have taken my nephews to prevent them becoming Spurs fans anything to piss off my brother in law they already have Hull kits. Good luck for the rest of the season after tomorrow.
Memories of that 3 2 defeat..chucked it down all day..took the missus who got a good soaking and scowled a lot...Still scowling now...memories....
Portsmouth away was the last game I ever took my missus to, she moaned non-stop. Moaned that it was cold, moaned that I told the steward to **** off, moaned that we chanted too loud, literally never stopped moaning. I wouldn’t mind, but I’d booked a suite in a hotel in Brighton for the weekend, purely to make sure she didn’t moan about the game. Kids only from then on.
Last game I took my Missus to was York away in the mid eighties. She left at half time and went to sit in the car 'cos she was cold, intimidated and not enjoying herself. * On the drive home my rear view mirror fell off. Probably as a result of her icy countenance unstickifying the glue. It's not a day we talk about much whilst we are reminiscing about our 35 years of loving marriage. * And as she has just reminded me, she couldn't see anything as she's a ****ing midget. ** ** She didn't say midget. She said 'only five foot, one'. *** *** She's a ****ing midget though.
This will be the first of our games at Pompey that I have missed in the 40 + years since I moved down here. Think Jeff Hemmerman was playing for them in the first of those. Seen some gash, but with the occasional triumph.
I went to Ports for the 2-2. Set off at about 5am. Was I nuts or what? Deano got his only premier league goal for us. Legend. That tw* t in the hat and the tats was ringing his ferking bell all day. Prat. PS. Think we'll do well to bring home a point.
When we went 2 - 0 up I was thinking we were going to stay up, end off the game and I realised relegation was inevitable.