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| League 1 |
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2 |
2 |
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| 25:03:2023 |
PORTSMOUTH |
PORT VALE |
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Bishop 67 (pen) Jacobs 70 |
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Taylor 8 Ojo 39 |
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Pompey recovered from a
two-goal interval deficit to snatch a dramatic point against Port Vale at
Fratton Park. It was far from being a vintage performance from the Blues and they trailed to strikes from Matty Taylor and Funso Ojo. Any hopes of salvaging something from the game seemed to be gone when Colby Bishop’s penalty was saved just before the break. But Bishop converted another spot-kick following the restart and substitute Michael Jacobs quickly grabbed the equaliser. John Mousinho made one enforced change from the side that won at Bristol Rovers the previous week. With Joe Morrell on international duty with Wales, there was a return to the starting line-up for Owen Dale. Dane Scarlett was also away and Joe Pigott still suspended, so a space opened up on the bench for academy forward Koby Mottoh. Early signs were promising for Pompey, with Reeco Hackett and Paddy Lane sending in dangerous deliveries that could not be capitalised on. But it was the visitors who broke the deadlock on eight minutes after Mal Benning found plenty of space on the left. He sent a low cross towards the back post, where Ryan Tunnicliffe and Connor Ogilvie both failed to get the ball clear, leaving Taylor with a simple finish. They might have had another goal soon after, but Nathan Smith could send a free header straight into the arms of Matt Macey. Pompey were struggling to find any fluency, perhaps being hindered by the strong winds blowing around Fratton Park. The hosts were dealt a further blow when Lane was forced off injured, with Jacobs on to replace him. And they soon saw their deficit increased after Taylor had done well to charge down Macey’s clearance. The ball ricocheted straight to midfielder Ojo, who had time and space to find the net from 25 yards out. It looked as though the Blues would have a lifeline when referee Neil Hair spotted Smith’s shove on Sean Raggett from a Jacobs corner. He immediately pointed to the spot, but the usually reliable Bishop saw his poor spot-kick comfortably saved by Aidan Stone. |
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Portsmouth 0 Port Vale 2 |
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There was a change at the
back for the start of the second half, with Clark Robertson replacing
Ryley Towler and taking the captain’s armband. However, Pompey were still struggling to make their way through a solid Valiants back-line to test Stone. A third substitution followed on 55 minutes, with Louis Thompson making way for Tom Lowery in the middle of the pitch. After a rusty opening, he then played a superb pass that sent Jacobs racing through, but he lifted his shot over the bar. The hosts were back in the contest soon after, though, when Ogilvie’s touch drew former team-mate Ellis Harrison into a clumsy tackle. BISHOP did not let his earlier effort affect him, drilling a low shot into the bottom corner before racing the ball back to the centre circle. And Fratton Park soon erupted when the Blues found a leveller after Jacobs had just failed to connect with Ogilvie’s cross. Port Vale made a mess of dealing with the danger and Tom Conlon fired the ball straight to JACOBS, who chested it down before firing home. They almost handed Pompey another goal on 87 minutes when Bishop sent a cross into a box absent of any blue shirts. Sammy Robinson was in no danger whatsoever and yet inexplicably headed the ball inches past his own post. The Fratton faithful roared their side on in an attempt to inspire a late winner and it almost arrived in stoppage-time. Hackett did brilliantly to hold off a defender in the box and fire in a shot, but the ball deflected off Robinson and was saved by Stone. |
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PORTSMOUTH LINE-UP |
PORT VALE LINE-UP |
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Macey |
Stone |
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Rafferty |
Robinson∎ |
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Raggett (c) |
Smith∎ |
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Towler (Robertson 46) |
Donnelly∎ |
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Ogilvie |
Pett |
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Tunnicliffe |
Worrall (Massey 86) |
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Thompson (Lowery 55) |
Ojo |
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Lane (Jacobs 35) |
Conlon (c) (Butterworth 80) |
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Dale |
Benning∎ |
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Hackett |
Taylor (Wilson 68) |
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Bishop |
Harrison (Proctor∎ 68) |
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Referee: Neil Hair |
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Updated - 28/08/2023 |
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