A look back shows that 15 November has not been a good day in Pompey’s history – Saturday’s On this Day showed that with only one win since the war. Well at Home Park Pompey did nothing to show that they could improve those statistics. Three down inside the first thirty minutes they could not get to grips with Plymouth marauding forwards after that Argyle proved so strong at the back where their defence was well marshalled and it seemed Pompey could have played until midnight without scoring. Ricky Holmes tried valiantly but received no support from the again disappointing Miles Storey who continually runs into blind alleys.
Without their backbone of Paul Robinson and James Dunne Awfs opted for another change in formation with 4-1-4-1, Jack Whatmough playing in front of the back four, with Storey on his own up front and Nick Awfs making his first league start in the middle of the park.
As you would expect with two cities steeped in Naval history the silence before kickoff was impeccably observed before the carnage began. On five minutes Lewis Alessandra went down under a challenge from Nicky Shorey and Rueben Reid Pompey target last summer tucked away the penalty.
From then on it seemed the home side would score on every attack as Pompey defended woefully and Alessandra and Reid helped themselves to a goal each and Pompey were dead in half an hour. They had as much of the game but no finish to the product.
It was not until the hour that Pompey made change bringing on Ryan Taylor and Dan Butler for Awford Jnr and Shorey but in truth a number of other could have been sacrificed.
The stats show that Pompey had 58% possession and almost as many chances created. Stats can be misleading. Pompey were awful. Reid showed just why Pompey were keen to sign him.
Pompey (4-1-4-1) : Jones; Wynter, Devera, Chorley (c), Shorey (Butler 60); Whatmough (Atangana 73); Wallace, Awford (Taylor 60), Hollands, Holmes; Storey
Subs not used: Poke, Close, Tarbuck, Westcarr
Attendance: 10,354 (1,243 Pompey fans)
Follow @VitalPortsmouth.
Share this article
