After a break for international fixtures, Pompey fans can now look forward to a couple of big games in quick succession. Ahead of a home clash with fellow promotion hopefuls Derby on Tuesday evening, John Mousinho’s men visit Wycombe on Good Friday (3pm kick-off). They go there with the knowledge that 13 points from the final seven fixtures would be enough to guarantee a place in the Championship. Their opponents appear to have little left to play for except pride, with the Chairboys sat in 13th position in the League One standings. Matt Bloomfield’s outfit are 13 points adrift of the final play-off spot and a comfortable 14 clear of the drop zone. But they have not been playing like a side with one eye on the beach in recent weeks and go into the game on the back of three successive wins. That is probably because everyone wants to impress the boss ahead of a trip to Wembley next month, when Wanderers take on Peterborough in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy final. Pompey lost 2-0 when they made the relatively short trip to Adams Park last season, but came out on top at Fratton Park earlier in the current campaign. It took a late goal from Conor Shaughnessy to secure the points, however, after Colby Bishop had cancelled out Josh Scowen’s opener for the visitors. TEAM NEWS Paddy Lane and Joe Rafferty have overcome the illnesses that forced them to miss the Peterborough game. Tino Anjorin and Ben Stevenson are also available again after recovering from hamstring and knee problems respectively. The game is likely to come too soon for Connor Ogilvie (knee) and Christian Saydee (hamstring), who have only recently returned to training. Terry Devlin (shoulder), Josh Dockerill (knee), Callum Lang (ankle), Tom Lowery (hamstring), Tom McIntyre (ankle), Joe Morrell (knee), Regan Poole (knee), Anthony Scully (ankle) and Alex Robertson (hamstring) are all still out. David Wheeler could feature for Wycombe against his former club after completing a three-match suspension. VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM Read the thoughts of John Mousinho and Sean Raggett ahead of the game. HEAD TO HEAD Overall Pompey: 7 wins Wycombe: 5 wins 7 draws On the road Pompey: 3 wins Wycombe: 3 wins 2 draws OFFICIALS Referee: Tom Nield Assistants: Graham Kane and Greg Read Fourth Official: Lee Swabey TICKETS Pompey have sold their full allocation, so please do not travel to the game if you do not already have a ticket. Please note that tickets have been emailed to the lead booker. Supporters who have purchased concession tickets are advised to bring proof of age identification with them to the game. MATCH COVERAGE Supporters at home and abroad can watch the contest live by purchasing an iFollow match pass and visiting the match centre. Domestic iFollow subscribers can also enjoy audio commentary from Andrew Moon and Guy Whittingham as usual, but will need to purchase a match pass if they want to watch the game. Click here for more information about using iFollow on a matchday and click here for information on downloading the app, so you can access content on your mobile device. We will have key updates throughout the game on Twitter and a detailed blog via the match centre. There will be post-match reaction on the website and our official YouTube channel, with highlights to follow on Saturday. Local listeners can hear commentary by tuning in to either Express FM or BBC Radio Solent (not available online).
Bought an ifollow pass for this one, first time I've used it so it'll be interesting to see if it works...
Wycombe Wanderers Starting Line Up:- 25 Franco Ravizzoli GK 2 Jack Grimmer DF 10 Luke Leahy DF 22 Nigel Lonwijk DF 6 Ryan Tafazolli DF 19 Freddie Potts MF 4 Josh Scowen (C) MF 8 Matt Butcher MF 30 Bez Lubala FW 24 Richard Kone FW 23 Kieran Sadlier FW Substitutes: 1 Max Stryjek 5 Christian Forino Joseph 26 Jason McCarthy 11 Chem Campbell 28 Gideon Kodua 20 Dale Taylor 9 Sam Vokes
Half time whistle goes, and it's 1-2 to Pompey. Good first half, which we have basically controlled. We took the lead in the third minute with Colby Bishop scoring from a cross by the impressive Abu Kamara. The Chairboys equalised in the 7th minute with a well taken goal from Matt Butcher. We retook the lead in the 28th minute through top scorer Colby Bishop with his 18th goal of the season from another superb cross by Abu Kamara. Yellow cards for both Ryan Taffazolli and Marlon Park.
Half Time Match Stats:- Home Team: Wycombe .........Away Team: Portsmouth Possession: Home 35% Away 65% Shots: Home 6 Away 10 Shots on Target: Home 2 Away 6 Corners: Home 3 Away 2 Fouls: Home 7 Away 1
Colby Bishop scored twice as Pompey got the Easter weekend off to a perfect start with a 3-1 victory at in-form Wycombe. The prolific scorer saw his early effort quickly cancelled out by Portsmouth-born Matt Butcher, only to strike again before the break. And the points were wrapped up midway through the second half, when Christian Saydee lashed home a third goal for the table-topping Blues. John Mousinho made two changes from the side that won at Peterborough before the international break. Connor Ogilvie and Paddy Lane – who missed that game through injury and illness respectively – were both restored to the starting line-up. That saw Jack Sparkes and Myles Peart-Harris drop to the bench, where they were joined by Kusini Yengi following his long trip back from Australia. The visiting fans were making a lot of noise before the game and only got louder when the deadlock was broken after just three minutes. Abu Kamara escaped down the right, surging forward and sending in a delivery that was met by BISHOP, whose effort took a deflection off Nigel Lonwijk to loop into the net. But the home side quickly hit back, with Beryly Lubala’s cross was laid off by Richard Kone for Butcher to slot home. The lead might have been restored when Marlon Pack launched a long throw into the box, but Connor Ogilvie’s header was sabed by Franco Ravizzoli. And the keeper then dealt with Lane’s angled effort before an attempt from Kamara was deflected over the bar. Pompey continued to apply pressure and restored their advantage on 28 minutes, as Zak Swanson and Christian Saydee combined to feed Kamara. He cut the ball back into the mixer and BISHOP met it with a neat first-time finish that flew into the net. There was soon another good opportunity for the visitors, but Luke Leahy made a vital interception to stop Kamara converting Lane’s centre. The game was being punctuated with heavy showers that made life difficult for both sides and the chances started to dry up. Wycombe did have one just before the break, but when Kieran Sadlier connected sweetly with the ball on the volley, it flew straight into the arms of Will Norris. Half Time: Wycombe 1 Pompey 2 Kamara continued to look dangerous once the action restarted, but was crowded out inside the area before he could get a shot away. And there was a great chance for the Blues to extend their lead when Ravizolli failed to hold a monster Pack throw. Conor Shaughnessy nodded the ball on and Sean Raggett tried to force it into the net, but Freddie Potts managed to stop it on the line. The Chairboys had an opportunity of their own after a Leahy corner was cleared as far as Josh Scowen, but he could only screw his shot wide. They went closer just past the hour mark, as Leahy curled a free-kick against the bar following Owen Moxon’s booking for a nudge on Lubala. But Pompey were still causing problems of their own and there were some nervy moments at the back for Wanderers to deal with. The visitors made their first change on 64 minutes, with Moxon making way and Lee Evans on to make his debut. And they had a cushion moments later after Lane’s cross-field ball found Kamara in the box and he tried to pick out Bishop. Lonwijk got to the ball first, but he could only head it as far as SAYDEE, who smashed home his second league goal for the club. Pompey still had to remain alert and Zak Swanson slid in to win possession inside his own box before Dale Taylor could get a shot away. Bishop still had his eyes on a first Pompey hat-trick, but was denied by Ravizzoli after meeting a Swanson cross. A double change followed on 81 minutes, with warm applause for Saydee and Swanson as they departed for Yengi and Joe Rafferty. And the visitors saw out the closing stages with relative ease to give their promotion hopes a massive boost. Wycombe (4-1-4-1): Ravizzoli; Grimmer (McCarthy 81), Lonwijk, Tafazolli, Leahy (Forino 75); Potts; Lubala, Scowen (c) (Taylor 64), Butcher, Sadlier (Vokes 75); Kone (Campbell 64) Goals: Butcher 7 Booked: Tafazolli, Potts Subs not used: Stryjek, Kodua Pompey (4-2-3-1): Norris; Swanson (Rafferty 81), Raggett, Shaughnessy, Ogilvie; Pack (c), Moxon (Evans 64); Kamara (Whyte 90+1), Saydee (Yengi 81), Lane; Bishop Goals: Bishop 3, 28, Saydee 67 Booked: Norris, Moxon, Bishop Subs not used: Macey, Sparkes, Peart-Harris Attendance: 6,793 (1,840 Pompey fans)
Final Match Stats:- Home Team: Wycombe .......Away Team: Portsmouth Possession: Home 38% Away 62% Shots: Home 9 Away 16 Shots on Target: Home 2 Away 11 Corners: Home 4 Away 3 Fouls: Home 16 Away 8
Thank you Wooperts! Such a great result. Perhaps Pompey are beginning to play tensión free football as they stride ever closer to promotion. Can we really see Bolton, Peterboro or Barnsley getting to 86 points? If you remember I suggested that the high 80s would secure promotion. But let's do it in style!
We played well today, Ides. Nice flowing, attacking football. Abu Kamara is a revelation ! Do wish we could sign him permanently from Norwich for next season !
Was a nice match, and quite comfortable aside from a well taken goal by Wycombe after a mistake in defence. Kamara looked tasty. As for ifollow it worked perfectly though weird having radio commentary. Huge game on Tuesday, imagine if we win... I'll take a draw though
On we march! I'm glad you had a good ifollow experience Lapras. I heard one of the commentators say " never love your loan players. Well with Kamara - and Robertson early in the season - its hard not to!! I was pleased to hear at the start of the season that Pompey intended to become less reliant on loan players, and, in terms of numbers, they have. It is ironic that, despite the change in policy, we have ended up with two of the best we have had! So do we have any prospect of retaining them next season? And, whilst we are not there yet, for the sake of discussion let us assume we will be in the championship next year. Well in Kamara's case I think we have a snowballs chance in hell. If Norwich are sure they have better wingers, which I find hard to imagine, they could get a fee for him well outside of Pompey's budget. Robertson is another matter. Whilst very talented I doubt he can attain first team squad status at Man City. He is probably looking at another season on loan. He could be loaned out to a lowlier premiership team where he is likely to endure a lot of bench time or, on the other hand, he could be loaned to a championship team with the prospect of more consistent first team prospect. and if he chooses the latter what better team than Pompey where he would be welcomed and knows the ropes. We can only hope! PUP
