Vigtig hjemmesejr i en livlig og underholdende kamp hvor Pompey nærmer sig Play off.

Det var en af den slags kampe på Fratton Park, hvor der var underholdning og hvor fansene fik set et hjemmehold der er ved at finde formen.

Nok er der et par småskader der gør vi ikke stiller i den optimale start XI, men trods dette, så har Pompey mange gode offensive kort at spille og det gør holdet er farligt fremad banen.

Rotherham kom og var tophold inden kampen, men de måtte sande at Pompey på dagen var den tand skarpere, om end Rotherham fik vist hvilke kvaliteter de besidder.

Med 3-2 sejren, så har Pompey lavet 10 mål i de seneste tre League One kampe og der er hentet 15 point i de seneste 8 kampe, det er formen for et tophold.

Det kræver dog Pompey holder fast i det momentum de har, for de kommende League One kampe, ja det er mod vigtige modstandere:

7.dec Peterborough hjemme (nummer 3)

14.dec Accrington ude (nummer 17)

21.december Ipswich hjemme (nummer 2)

26.december Wycombe hjemme (nummer 1)

Tilbage til kampen, var der en enkelt eller to fan der var lidt langsomme om at komme på plads på Fratton Park, så kunne de høre jubelbrølet, da Ronan Curtis efter 33 sekunder scorede til 1-0 på en signaturscoring, hvor han skærer ind i banen og skyder på mål.

Det var den start mange havde håbet på, og Pompey de havde momentum og havde bolden meget. Specielt Harrison og Marquis voldte meget bøvl hos Rotherham.

Manager Kenny Jackett havde holdt fast i samme start XI som i forrige kamp, og det virkede og det siger lidt om hvor stærke Pompey er offensivt, når spillere som Harness, Evans, Pitman, Canon og Bolton må sidde på bænken!

Vores keeper MacGillivray har været stabil, som ikke set siden Shaka Hislops dage (nå ja og David James), men han lavede en af de sjældne fejl, da han ikke kunne holde et fladt hårdt frispark, returen røg ud til deres farlige angriber Ladapo og så den 1-1.

Pompey kom på 2-1 da John Marquis med hovedet rettede et forsøg fra Harrison af, og hvor Rotherham godt ville have dømt ham for offside.

Kort efter var Marquis tæt på 3-1, men hovedstødet manglede fart.

Efter pausen lavede tilbagevendte Ole Hawkins en dum fejl i straffesparksfejlet, Rotherham sagde tak og så stod den 2-2 på et sikkert sparket straffe.

Ben Close der har fået lidt kritik fra fansene på det seneste, ja han viste igen evnen til at score på nedfaldsbolde, en svær afslutning, som Rotherhams danske keeper så for sent, og så var sejrsmålet scoret.

I slutfasen fik Rotherham en spiller skadet, og da alle udskiftninger var brugt, så spillede de med 10 mand til slut.

Pompey havde mulighed for at lukke med et mål til 4-2, men det kom ikke, og nok var Rotherham ikke tæt på at udligne til slut, men det var nervøst nok.

Nu blev det en sejr på 3-2 og Pompey nærmer sig play off

Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett:

“It feels like a really big victory after beating one of the main promotion contenders – we stood toe-to-toe with them.

“We took the lead three times and it the result does give us a leg up, pulling the sides at the top of the table slightly closer.

«It took us a while to bed down as a group, but I do feel there’s a bit more understanding there now.»

“The game was always in the balance, but we’ve scored 12 times now in our past four games and there’s a lot of firepower there.

“We did have to defend at times, which you expect, but I always felt that there were more goals for us on the break.

“Oli Hawkins has again helped us in both boxes and that’s something we’ve needed this season, particularly late on in games.

“We’ve worked hard on our teamwork and tried to leave the egos at the door. We’re working for each other and have to keep going.

“If we can just keep concentrating on that and make sure the work ethic is correct, then that will only promote our other qualities.

“It took us a while to bed down as a group, but I do feel there’s a bit more understanding there now and we want to keep improving.

“We’ve built up a head of steam and now have a couple of cup ties to play before our next league game, which is a big one against Peterborough.”

Rotherham manager Paul Warne

“I thought it was a really good game,”

“It was a really good game of football and I thought both teams were going for it. I think it could have been 6-6 really.

“We spoke at the hotel about starting the game well but they cut inside and bent one into the top corner, which was an unbelievable goal. We should have really stopped it at source but I thought we were the stronger side first half.

“We should have probably got one or two more goals at the end of the first half and we could have gone in comfortably in the lead.

“Second half, they take the lead, Carlton does really well to win us a penalty and then I felt really comfortable at 2-2.

“They then stick one right in the corner from the edge of the box where my goalkeeper can’t get it and make a double substitution being positive with 25 minutes to go and I honestly believed we were going to get something.

“Billy then pulls his hamstring and we’re down to 10 men and then it is a monumental effort from our lads.

“I presume that is his hamstring and I presume that is two to four weeks which is a real shame, because he’s been a rock.

 “They gave me everything and I’ve just said to them there, I’m really proud to be their manager. If they stick together like they did there we’ll have a really enjoyable season.

“They’re gutted because of the efforts they put in but sometimes you don’t get what you deserve and I thought we deserved at least a point.

“It wasn’t a hard decision to keep the same team, they were brilliant at the weekend, but it was just a shame that we didn’t come out with anything from a really good game of football.”

Kommentarer fra twitter

I’ve watched every Pompey game this dreadful season apart from the last two because I was travelling, we won those games 3-0 and 3-2, considering cancelling my ifollow subscription for the better of the club #Pompey

Been a while since I‘ve been here and what a night to come back #Pompey

Great win tonight against a very good side. Where were the «Jackett out» moaners? In hibernation? I guess it is nearly winter. Come on you blues! #pompey #pup #kennyisourking

Harrison nd Maquis quality tonight, shame Curtis had to loose his international spot to see his real talent again, we still need whatmough back no a CF back there, play a RB at RB and give Ben close a rest get him refreshed and ready for a promotion push #Pompey IMO

Final point – work rate & togetherness from our players tonight was fantastic. It’s the minimum #Pompey fans ask.KJ deserves credit now as much as he deserved the criticism, time to get behind him. Also it was great to have noisy Fratton Park back! I’ve got my Pompey groove back

Thought Curtis and Harrison were awesome tonight. Finally having a stronger target man alongside Marquis has made a big difference, 10 goals in 3 games. No coincidence either that Curtis re finding his form is in line with our upturn in performances and results #pompey

That’s more like it #Pompey – thoroughly enjoyable L1 game that could’ve gone either way, even though we should’ve scored 5 or 6! Curtis well & truly back, but my MOTM was Harrison – superb. Impressed (& fickle!) enough to revert to calling the gaffer Kenny again, for now

Great result tonight, the team is still very shaky in places , I think Kenny will be eyeing up a centre mid and defender when the window opens if he can get some quality through the door the new year could be exciting #Pompey

League One, Fratton Park, 26. november 2019

Portsmouth – Rotherham 3-2 (2-1)

1. min. 1-0 Ronan Curtis

15. min. 1-1 Freddy Ladapo

37. min. 2-1 John Marquis

62. min. 2-2 Freddy Ladapo

66. min. 3-2 Ben Close

Pompey (4-2-3-1): MacGillivray; Haunstrup, Hawkins, Burgess, Brown (c); Walkes, Close; Williams (Harness 78), Marquis, Curtis; Harrison

Gult kort: Harrison

Bænken: Bass, Bolton, Downing, Cannon, Evans, Pitman, Harness

Tilskuere: 16,355 (204 away fans)