A frustrating – and winless – year looked as if it would continue at MK Dons until a late equaliser was followed by a dramatic added time winner to seal a first Pompey victory of 2018.
Luke McGee, back in goal following the injury to Stephen Henderson, made a fine save to keep out Keiran Agard. However, it dropped to Ike Ugbo, allowing the on-loan Chelsea man to give MK Dons the lead.
With another defeat on, Pompey drew level when Matt Clarke marked his 100th appearance with a goal, heading Dion Donohue’s corner past MK Dons goalkeeper Lee Nicholls.
A point wasn’t what we went to Milton Keynes for, but it would have been taken without a doubt having been behind for so long. One became three when Conor Chaplin bagged the winner, ending five games without one.
There wasn’t any doubt for Kenny Jackett that late chance fell to the right man, the boss was also pleased to see this dramatic late action work in our favour.
‘It fell to the right person, he is obviously a goalscorer and a poacher and I’m delighted for him as one of a number of young players we are basing it around. It has been a frustrating January for us, we’ve had a tough run and similarly that has happened to us where late goals have taken the points away, with no time to come back,’ Jackett was quoted by the News post-match.
A ‘crucial win’ left the boss pleased, as it definitely would have the 6,000+ travelling fans too, as the Blues took advantage of some nervousness that crept into the MK Dons’ game as it wore on.
Jackett added: ‘It’s a good feeling and I’m really pleased for the players because they kept going. I sensed some nervousness in the last 15 minutes in the MK Dons side and we capitalised with two terrific goals. It was a very open game, with both sides going for it, it was end-to-end, neither side tried to shut up shop and there were chances at either end, definitely. I’m pleased we took two of those chances and got the crucial win – it has happened to us in a number of tight games.’
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.
