Murphy 7
Clarke 8
Keogh 7
Cranie 7
Hussey 8
Clingan 8
Norwood 8
Thomas 7
McSheffrey 8
Platt 8
Nimely 7
Subs
Gael 8
Christie (not enough to judge)
MoM:
A few contenders today Platt/Clingan/Norwood/hussey etc
My Choice
NORWOOD
Murphy-7-No saves of note apart from a camera save near the end, handling good and good command of area
Clarke-8-He is improving all the time, he is better than I remember him now. Great work from him for Norwoods goal
Keogh-7-Great blocks, tackling and improving in the air. A few sloppy passes though today
Cranie-7-Reads the game well and is good at just nicking the ball away from the attackers feet, compliments Keogh well
Hussey-7-Got forward well and was solid defensively, sometimes wasteful crossing. Got an assist
Clingan-8-Controlled the game at times in second half
Thomas-5-Completely off the pace of the game today, every time he controlled the ball it was bouncing 4 yards away from him and gave the ball away countless times in the first half
Norwood-7-Grabbed the vital second goal
Mcsheff-8-Fantastic finish for the goal and was always a threat ghosting into the area unmarked
Platt-7-Led the line well and took a battering at times, his flicks didn't really come off today
Nimely-7-Great assist for the goal and was always a threat with his pace. Not sure if I am imagining this but he doesn't seem to have the same flair/confidence he had in his first 5 games today, many times he had a chance to dribble at the Pompy back 4 and decided not to
Gael-8-Linked up well with Nimely and Clarke, defended very well today as well with pressing Portsmouth and even managed a successful slide tackle.
First half was a cagey game with both teams looking nervous, it was an even game with Platts chance which was tipped wide by Ashdown the only real chance of the half. Second half we started it fantastically and deserved to take the lead through a great goal by Sheffers. We then had a sloppy 20 mins where we lost our discipline a bit, gave away countless free kicks in dangerous positions and were lucky not to be punished. Our second goal was a great goal, Clarke did superb to beat his man and play in Nimely who then crossed brilliantly for Norwood to tap home at the far post. We then saw out the last 10 minutes rather comfortably without any great scare.
We just need to keep chipping away at the gap and we can do it, win our last 3 home and a point at Bristol could well keep us up.
Also can all the people who keep saying we will be bottom of the league after Pompy and Donny win their games in hand go and crawl back into their holes?
Clarke MOTM
I agree no one is slating him players like Thomas are the future of the club, still coming back from about 6 weeks or so inured as well. Was right decision to take him off though.Thomas was poor today. But he's a young lad who plays a lot of football. Players have off games.
I agree no one is slating him players like Thomas are the future of the club, still coming back from about 6 weeks or so inured as well. Was right decision to take him off though.
Thomas was poor today. But he's a young lad who plays a lot of football. Players have off games.
The away side had the better of a first half that included chances for both sides.
Pompey continued in the ascendancy after the break, Joel Ward's 20-yard strike testing Murphy.
McSheffrey finishing when Chris Hussey's scuffed shot fell at his feet.
But despite Portsmouth maintaining possession, and Maguire rattling the woodwork, it was Norwood who settled it from six yards out.
He didn't scuff it, but it looked like a shot to me.
I thought it was a driven cross as well. Just reporters feeling sorry for Pompy trying to make out it was a lucky goal.Maccers bucked his ideas up 2nd half and chased well. Deserved well taken goal. Reviews are saying Hussey scuffed his cross but I was sitting right in line behind him and it looked like a great incisive pass to me. Thought Platt was invincible....shame we don't have more players following up to get onto the loose ball.
It was a very tense game and I could only really relax once the second went in...great cross for Norwood....
More of the same please.
Hussey was hobbling badly at the end of the game, I saw him come back on the pitch to shake some hands after the whistle and he didn't look too clever tbhIts funny how we can all watch the same game but have such varied opinions! For what its worth, I thought McSheffrey did very little, EXCEPT score the goal, but I would be more than happy with a goal-a-game contribution from him. How CWR could say he had been excellent is beyond me, although others on here have said they thought he played well..........
Clarke was easily the MotM, although I was disappointed that he seemed to be reluctant to venture too far forward in the first half (Managers orders??), with Hussey putting in a very good performance (except for the dreadful back-pass, which could easily have seen a goal/penalty/sending-off for Murphy - but he put that behind him to bounce back well). Anyone know why he went off - hopefully just tired or a minor knock?
To be honest i thought we were pretty poor yesterday. At the end of the first half i thought Portsmouth were unlucky not to be ahead. We were really nervous, no-one wanted to be on the ball and we were struggling to put two passes together.
In the second half we came out well and played some decent stuff for 10 or so mins and got our goal ( great finish by McSheffery) however Portsmouth we battling well and looked odds on to get the next goal, abit of clever play from Clarke and Nimley and we managed to get the killer goal against the run of play.
After that Portsmouth pretty much gave up and we killed the game well. Why they didnt play Fuctas from the start i dont know, he looked very dangerous and was huge!
Got the points though and thats what really matters PUSB.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?