Match Reports

Green Means FA Cup Go For Pompey

|

Rochdale 0 Pompey 1

A last-minute goal from Andre Green sent Pompey through to a potential money-spinning FA Cup third round tie.

Jackett made just one change with Ben Close replacing Tom Naylor who was not risked after picking up a slight knock.

Pompey have certainly had their fair share of luck on the road this season and it continued on the second visit to Spotland in a couple of months. Both sides hit the woodwork first Ronan Curtis picked the ball up on halfway and ran at the backpedalling Dale defence before hitting a shot that flew past Lillis and cannoned of the bar.

In the second half Done hit the same crossbar with an effort from the left-hand side.

The game seemed to be heading for a Fratton Park replay when Green, on for Jamal Lowe, was chopped down on the right-hand edge of the box. A clever free-kick move set up Green and his shot deflected off Matt Done and looped over Josh Lillis to settle the tie.

The hosts still had time to almost grab an equaliser in the final minute of time added on when Henderson was denied by a superb close-range save from MacGillivray

Pompey (4-2-3-1): MacGillivray; N.Thompson, Whatmough, Clarke, Brown; B.Thompson, Close; Lowe (Green 76), Evans (c) (Pitman 72), Curtis; Hawkins
Goals: Green 90
Booked: Lowe, N.Thompson
Subs not used: McGee, Walkes, Burgess, Haunstrup, Rose

Referee: Seb Stockbridge

Attendance: 2,555 (599 Pompey fans)

After the game that extended Pompey’s unbeaten away run to thirteen Kenny Jackett told the News: ‘I felt the first half we were the better side and that the second half Rochdale were. It looked like our way and our path of progressing in the Cup was to get a hard-earned draw here and then to take them back to Fratton Park. Which, if you can’t win, I would have accepted because that’s the third time we have been here in recent months and was always going to be a hard game – and proved to be the case.

‘In our first-half period, when we were up, we weren’t as clinical as we usually are and didn’t give us the lead to go for. Rochdale were always going to swing back into the game. You always have to dig in, there are no easy wins, it doesn’t work that way, whatever you earn. And so far this season we’ve had a great run, we’ve lost one league game, that is excellent.’

Pompey will be number 60 in the third round draw.

PUP

Follow @VitalPortsmouth.

Share this article

'Sunday Chimes Editor'