Play off pladsen sikret efter en overbevisende indsats af et skadesramt Pompeymandskab.

Pompey sikrede sig med en sejr på 1-0 ude over Wimbledon endeligt play off pladsen. Det er en plads de fleste før sæson nok havde været tilfredse med, men omvendt har mange fans set Pompey droppe dumme point her og der, og det har kostet den direkte oprykning.

Afgørelsen på kampen kom da Gary Roberts vandt bolden på midten og fik sat store Michael Smith op, og vupti så førte Pompey.

Pompey havde tre ændringer i startopstillingen da Barton, Freeman og Smith startede. Barton som makker til centerforsvaret og Freeman i en sjælden rolle som højre back.

Pompey manglede en del spillere, Davies var dog på bænken, men Webster, McNulty og Clarke var slet ikke i truppen grundet skader. Det sammen med Fulton, Wilkinson, Chaplin og Tollit er ligeså ude med skader

Det gav plads til en særdeles ung bænk med Haunstrup (19 år), Close (19), May (18), Oxlade-Chamberlain (17) men ingen Jack Whatmough dog som dog skulle have problemer med ryggen.

Wimbledon havde en stor chance for at udligne, men Barcham med en fortid hos Pompey, ja han valgte at sparke forbi målet.
I den anden ende havde Gary Roberts en lignende chance, men frem mod pausen var Pompey i kontrol.

Efter pauseteen, der kom Wimbledon ud med et godt pres, en sejr ville ligeså sikre dem deres play off plads. Men Pompey fik stille og roligt greb om kampen og det var reelt Pompey der var nærmere 2-0 føringen.

Stærkt at slå Wimbledon, som var særdeles formstærke, og lidt ærgerligt at nogle af de unge spillere ikke fik chancen.

Eneste udskiftning kom i pausen, da vores keeper Jones måtte udgå med skade da han ikke kunne sparke til bolden, det gav plads til Murphy…interessant hvem der så får chancen til næste kamp

Ratings fra The News

Paul Jones (46 mins Brian Murphy – Looked very assured 7) – Came off at half-time 7

Kieron Freeman – Stuck at it 7

Christian Burgess – Tower of strength 9

Adam Barton – Another impressive defensive showing 8

Enda Stevens – Defended very well 7

Michael Doyle – Dogged as ever 7

Danny Hollands – Did not stop 7

Gareth Evans – Tireless as usual 7

Gary Roberts – Supplied decisive moment 7 – BOOKED

Kal Naismith – Had some good moments 7

Michael Smith – Ran himself into the ground 8 – BOOKED

Pompey manager Paul Cook:

‘I know football, I am not being clever, and our lads don’t lack character.

‘Last night was a big game for us because people question the character of the side every now and then.

‘You don’t leave places like Wimbledon winning 1-0, keeping a clean sheet and creating the chances we did without having character. I would never level that at our players.

‘A lot was said after the York game, there was a lot of criticism and a natural feeling we had thrown it away – and they have responded with two magnificent wins.

‘Great credit to the players and I have great confidence in them.

‘We have cemented our place in the play-offs and I am delighted with us, I really am.’

‘I thought we were excellent from start to finish, we created all the clear-cut chances in the game, were positive in our play and got men forward on a very difficult pitch to play.

‘Wimbledon are probably one of the in-form teams in the league so great credit to the players.

‘The players to a man were excellent.’

Wimbledon manager Neil Ardley:

“The disappointing thing for me was their goal and the man who played a massive part in it.

“Sean Rigg has been taken out and the ref is standing right in front of it.

“He gave away loads of silly free kicks early on and then decided not to for one where Rigg knocked the ball away and gets taken out above the knee.

“Instead he decides to wave play on and within two passes, the ball is in the back of our net.”

“I thought Portsmouth were outstanding tonight, they went brave and played a diamond which caused us problems as we couldn’t get a foothold in the game.

“You have to feed off scraps sometimes and it becomes really difficult; they were everywhere and tonight they did to us what we have done to a lot of teams.

“We’ve had a few scraps in the box but they defended really well so when you throw caution to the wind they are going to get some chances at the other end.

“But I thought they were one of the best teams that have come here in a long, long time.”

Kommentarer fra The News:

I just hope some of these injuries are a ploy by Cookie to rest a few ie groin. The Play offs could be even more of a lottery otherwise. Bring on Plymouth we will cruise past them over two legs.

It’s difficult to judge how good a game is when you can only follow it on text commentary. When I saw the starting line up and the youth players packing the bench I feared the worse.
So a big pat on the back for all concerned including the fans lucky enough to be there who I’m sure were immense in driving the team forward.

Cant see automatic promotion but they got form back and thats crucial as well as resting certain ‘injured’ players. Of all the teams I dont want Oxford in the play offs, they took 4 from 6 and look a very good side so hoping they go up automatically. We have beaten bristol rovers, wimbledon, plymouth (should have been twice), and accy so nothing to fear IMHO.

Well done Pompey! That stopped the Dons in their tracks! From the text i was watching,we deserved the win,maybe should have scored 2-3 more,but its a great result for the players,management and fans..keeps the momentum up doesnt it. 
Dont know about the Jones/Murphy substitution, but i see no outfield players were changed,which suggests to me a few changes again for Hartlepool. Or were all of our subs injured too!
Weve beaten all the top 7 clubs on their patch now,that s really very good.
Dont need the negatives …..were in the playoffs …still could go up automaticly…maybe another trip to our second home…at worst,its been a vastly improved season hasnt it. PUP.

Brilliant performance tonight, gents. I don’t think Wimbledon offered up much at all.

I thought Barton was excellent and always slips into that centre half roll effortlessly. Cleared everything first half. He seems so relaxed and never panics. Freeman was a little suspect at times but much better second half. I really like Naismith. A lot of people give him a hard time and I don’t know why. He works his socks off and was superb tonight. Gets better every game. Tireless performance from Smith and Roberts. Would have been nice to see them convert a few of those clear cut chances to put the game to bed. Fortunately we didn’t need it. Wish Smith would stick his foot in a bit more. Does all that chasing, then doesn’t really put the defender under enough pressure to do something with the ball.

Great win tonight on a tough pitch. Just. Keep. Winning.

So proud to be Pompey fan, just got home and really enjoyed tonight. Best away game I’ve been to for years.

The Pompey fans were in great voice and never stopped singing, particularly liked the catchy Gary Roberts tune. Not only that but everyone seemed in a good mood, Whatmough, Bennett and Chaplin were in the away end singing too, Cooky clapping along infront of the fans in the dugout to the songs, there was just a real feel good factor.

To top it off our players truly played for the shirt tonight, we were solid defensively, we looked so threatening going forward and off the ball our players ran their socks off and chased and harried for everything. 1 goal proved to be enough tonight but no one would be complaining if it had been more:-

Jones – good save from corner and not much else to do 7
Freeman – very solid display, maybe he is quite good after all 8
Burgess/Barton – man mountains, they cruised against 2 very good strikers in Taylor and Elliott – 9’s
Doyle/Holland – challenged and battled for everything, unsung heroes 8
Naismith/Evans – worked back tirelessly and both looked dangerous when going forward 8
Roberts – MOTM for me even if he did miss 2 absolute sitters, the song seemed to inspire him – high 9
Smith – proved me wrong tonight and will be missed in playoffs, took his goal well 8

If we can continue that form we have every chance of going up this season, PUP

League Two, Kingsmeadow, 26/4-2016

Wimbledon – Portsmouth 0-1 (0-1)

35 min 0-1 Smith

Pompey (4-2-3-1): Jones (Murphy 46); Freeman, Burgess, Barton, Stevens; Hollands, Doyle (c); Evans, Roberts, Naismith; Smith

Gule kort: Roberts, Smith

Bænken: Murphy, Davies, Haunstrup, Close, May, Oxlade-Chamberlain, McGurk

Tilskuere: 4,799 (911 Pompey fans)