Connor Chaplin’s first involvement in several weeks ended with him scoring a dramatic goal at the Stadium MK on Saturday, sending Pompey home with the points and the travelling fans, numbering over 6,000, away ecstatic.
Ike Ugbo looked as if he had given MK Dons the points until Matt Clarke’s late leveller and Chaplin, on from the bench, prodding past Lee Nicholls for a last-gasp three points, which was certainly needed.
A buzzing Chaplin recalled the moment telling portsmouthfc.co.uk: ‘It was a great feeling – probably better than I’ve felt after scoring a lot of other goals. That’s because I haven’t played in a while and it was also in front of such an amazing following from the fans.’
Thanks to the good work of Oli Hawkins it gave Chaplin the opportunity; despite admitting he though MK Dons goalkeeper Nicholls was ‘favourite’ to get to it first he just ‘went for it and it got us the win.’
His goal then saw Chaplin run the length of the pitch to celebrate with the travelling Blue Army, which had been spoken about with Jamal Lowe prior to the game, something they had planned should either get a winner.
Chaplin added: ‘After running the other end of the pitch I couldn’t move much, but you want to reward those fans and make sure they were a part of it. I was chatting with Jamal when the sides switched ends just before kick-off and said that I wouldn’t be able to celebrate with them if I scored the winner. So we said that if either of us managed to do that then we would run up to the other end of the pitch!’
Will the win be a turning point for Pompey? All being well, but could it also be a turning point for Chaplin too? Hopefully so as he’s, no two ways about it, very much gone off the boil over the past year or so, all things considered.
Regardless, that winning goal cannot be taken away from him and will be a moment to live with him – and those who were in attendance at the Stadium MK – for a long time to come.
PLAY UP POMPEY
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2017-18 Prediction League – February
Blackburn (h) Tuesday 13th February 2018 – click here.
Southend (a) Saturday 17th February 2018 – click here.
Fleetwood (a) Tuesday 20th February 2018 – click here.
Blackpool (h) Saturday 24th February 2018 – click here.
