Pompey brushed aside the memories of the debacle on Tuesday evening, a vibrant first half display being enough to defeat Crewe.
Dumbya was still on international duty, Lee Willamson being given the job to cover or him, in a surprise switch, Jon Harley played on the right of midfield with Webster at left back.
In recent games, Pompey have either scored or conceded in the first few minutes, this time they were off the mark in only the second minute, Howard crossed deep for Wes Thomas to nod home from an acute angle, like the last three league fixtures, Pompey again won another penalty, Thomas wriggled into the area and was flattened right under the referees nose, Buzsaky grabbed the ball but was muscled off of it by McLeod who was having none of it.
McLeod stepped up and emphatically smashed the ball home, much to his, and the home crowds delight.
Pompey were rampant, Crewe were rocking on their heels, only the keeper was keeping them in it, suddenly producing a string of saves to earn his corn.
Thomas was denied another after connecting with McLeod’s great cross, being denied feet from the goal, it was he who was to miss out again, this time cutting onto his left foot only fir he keeper to get down and make another fine save.
Buzsaky was showing some good touches in midfield, one ball early on between two defenders on the right particularly pleasing to he eye.
Howard was ably assisting in the middle as Pompey held all the trump cards.
One blot on the landscape was the performance of an over officious referee once more, any form of contact was deemed a foul and worthy of a yellow card, Buzsaky earning one fir taking a quick free kick!
If the first half was champagne football, the second was more flat limeade, Crewe stepped up their work rate and the game settled into a midfield dirge, the referee doing his level best to stop play at any given opportunity.
As the clock ticked on, Howard should of put the game beyond any doubt, he got in behind the defence one-on-one, but again could find only the keepers legs.
The ref managed to book Rodgers after he had entered the fray, this time for not hearing his whistle and carrying on playing.
All in all though a satisfying if not memorable performance, Pompey have gained 10 points from the last 12, and whisper it quietly we are up to 12 th!
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