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TEAMS and STATS |
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Season 2023 / 2024 (A) Derby County |
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Colby Bishop preserved
Pompey’s long unbeaten league run by grabbing a stoppage-time leveller at
Derby. It was the least they deserved after dominating for long periods, only to fall behind to a controversial late James Collins penalty. Time appeared to have run out for the visitors, but Gavin Whyte and Terry Devlin combined to give Bishop the opportunity to strike back. John Mousinho made two changes from the side that beat Peterborough on home soil before the international break. Paddy Lane was handed a first league start of the season and there was also a spot for Alex Robertson in midfield. Christian Saydee missed out with a slight knock, while Joe Morrell was serving a ban following his red card against Posh. A period of applause took place before kick-off to remember those who have been affected by the recent tragedies in Morocco and Libya. There were chances at both ends of the pitch when the action got started, with the Rams first to threaten. A wayward effort from skipper Conor Hourihane struck team-mate Martyn Waghorn and deflected against the crossbar. Pompey soon settled, though, and there was an early sighter for Lane after collecting a clever Marlon Pack pass, but his shot lacked the power to trouble Joe Wildsmith. Bishop went closer when he met a Zak Swanson corner with a looping header that was nodded from the line by Waghorn. The visitors were starting to control proceedings and their opponents had to deal with a series of set-pieces. But Derby soon had two good opportunities of their own in quick succession, with Craig Forsyth firing over from Hourihane’s free-kick. Conor Washington then got into the area and, with Will Norris committed, tried to cut the ball back for Waghorn, only for Swanson to nip across and deal with the danger. The final chance before the break fell the visitors’ way, though, and Bishop saw his attempt deflected over after being teed-up by Abu Kamara. Half Time: Derby 0 Pompey 0 The Blues began the second half on the front foot and had the first opportunity to break the deadlock on 53 minutes. Regan Poole stole possession and found Bishop, who released Lane and he cut inside onto his left foot before firing past the post. They soon launched a quick counter involving Robertson, Whyte and Bishop, but Lane’s low centre was intercepted. A Lane corner was then laid off by Pack for Whyte to have a shot that Bishop tried to divert into the net, with Wildsmith equal to it. The home fans were growing frustrated and when former Fratton loanee Nathaniel Mendez-Laing did get into a dangerous position, Kamara was back to dispossess him. Pompey soon ensured the action was back down the other end of the pitch and after Robertson drilled the ball into the box, it was turned narrowly wide by Conor Shaughnessy. Connor Ogilvie then met Lane’s free-kick with a header that seemed to be destined for the top corner before Wildsmith intervened. Derby had already used all five substitutes before the Blues made their first, with Kamara making way for debutant Tino Anjorin on 71 minutes. They kept on attacking and after a period of pressure in and around the area, Whyte dug out a shot that Wildsmith got down to save. Pompey had not needed to defend much throughout the second half, but found themselves behind in unfortunate circumstances. When Waghorn flicked the ball up inside their box, it struck Poole’s thigh and then his arm, with referee Rebecca Welch deciding it was worthy of a penalty, much to the defender's astonishment. Collins stepped up to take it and made no mistake with a confident effort to give the Rams a lead they had not previously looked like gaining. Devlin and Jack Sparkes were summoned from the bench as Mousinho tried to salvage something from the contest. The former might have levelled in stoppage-time after meeting Ogilvie’s cross, but his header bounced down into the turf and over the bar. But the Blues did rescue a point when Whyte’s low cross was turned into the mixer by Devlin, where BISHOP forced it home. |
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Derby (4-2-3-1): Wildsmith;
Smith, Nelson, Cashin, Forsyth; Fornah (Wilson 46), Hourihane (c)
(Embleton 38); Mendez-Laing (Sibley 66), Waghorn, Elder (Barkhuizen 57);
Washington (Collins 57) |
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Updated - 19/04/2024 |