please log in to view this image Pompey continued their 100 per cent winning start to pre-season with a low-key victory over Stevenage at Broadhall Way. It was a pretty flat contest throughout, although the visitors started to dominate towards the end of the encounter. Ronan Curtis scored the only goal with a stooping header and Anton Walkes later chipped against the woodwork. The first half was typical friendly fare, with the game moving along at a slow pace and little to excite the relatively sparse crowd. It was the hosts who looked marginally more dangerous in the opening stages, but Emmanuel Sonupe fired into the side netting after charging into the box. Ben Close met a delivery from Walkes at the other end, although the midfielder’s header lacked the required power to test Paul Farman. There were also a couple of free-kicks, with one from Lee Brown deflected wide and Brett Pitman curling another over the bar. In truth, though, there was nothing to really trouble either goalkeeper on a warm – but cloudy – afternoon in Hertfordshire. The Blues finally started to provide more of a threat towards the end of the half and had a couple of decent opportunities to break the deadlock. A Brown free-kick from wide on the right was flashed dangerously across the face of goal, with Curtis not quite able to make a connection at the far post. Ross McCrorie’s purposeful run was then crudely halted outside the box to ensure another set-piece for the visitors. It was Curtis who launched the ball into the box for Ellis Harrison, but the summer signing could only nod wide. Half Time: Stevenage 0 Pompey 0 The action failed to heat up following the restart, with chances still very much at a premium at both ends. Curtis did collect the ball from Brown on the overlap, but his cross went over the head of Harrison and was nodded clear. And Curtis tried a shot from long-range on the hour mark, only for the ball to cannon into a Stevenage triallist. A goal was not looking likely, but one arrived for Pompey on 65 minutes after they won a free-kick on the right. Brown played the ball across to Jamal Lowe, who lifted it towards the back post, where CURTIS arrived to head home. An immediate substitution followed, with Pitman making way and fans getting a first glimpse at new signing Marcus Harness. There were more chances to follow, with Harrison not able to guide his header on target after meeting a delivery from Walkes. Walkes then attempted a cheeky lob of the keeper from just outside the box, with the ball looping over Farman and against the crossbar. The Blues somehow failed to double their lead on 78 minutes after Harrison had done well to bring the ball under control on the byline. He squared it for Lowe, but the forward was unable to force home and neither was Harrison at the second attempt. Stevenage searched for an equaliser, although they never really looked like beating Craig MacGillivray, as the Blues comfortably held on for victory. Stevenage (3-5-1-1): Farman; Vancooten, Cuthbert (c), Stokes (Triallist 80); James-Wildin (Triallist 55), Sonupe (Iontton 81), Triallist (Byrom 65), Parrett (Triallist 65 (Denton 76)), Triallist (Fernandez 80); Carter (Smith 65); Newton (Smyth 86) Subs not used: Triallist, Triallist, Triallist, Ashton Pompey (4-2-3-1): Craig MacGillivray; Anton Walkes, Sean Raggett, Tom Naylor, Lee Brown; Ross McCrorie, Ben Close; Jamal Lowe, Brett Pitman (c) (Marcus Harness 65), Ronan Curtis (Andy Cannon 84); Ellis Harrison Goals: Ronan Curtis 64 Subs not used: Alex Bass, Sean Raggett, Christian Burgess,Brandon Haunstrup, Louis Dennis, Gareth Evans Referee: Will Finnie
Hi monacoger .......I have yet to see him play, as there have been no home matches so far this pre-season due to work being carried out at the ground, but from reports I have read, he is playing well, and impressing our manager, coaching staff and fans. He sounds like a really good signing for Pompey, as central midfield has been a weak spot for us for a while. What is he like as a centre half ? Nice to have a bit of versatility !!
Yeah, I thought it was strange that all your friendlies were away from home. Yep, he is a very good player, better holding midfielder or played just in front of back 4 than a centre half, I would say. Gerrard said he is a future Rangers captain, so highly thought of.
