How do you write a report on the inside of a balloon? This match is on par with that, it was ninety minutes of nothing of great quality, neither goalkeeper had much to do as a midfield stalemate was ground out, it will not go down as a classic for sure.
Pompey will no doubt be the happier if the two sides, our goal is staying in the football league, Oxford have loftier aspirations to aspire to.
Richie Barker gave debuts to Alfie, Shorey and Taylor, Shorey played in a role we did not expect, that of midfield enforcer, a role he enjoyed and to be fair stuck to well. Pompey’s main problem this season has been the sloppy goals conceded, we have addressed that situation, three clean sheets out of the last four testament to that, but the attacking quality has suffered to make it so. Then again, all good teams are built off if solid foundations, if we are not letting them in, we are not losing, Barker has achieved one short term target, we are no longer a soft touch at the back, if we start squeaking in a few goals things will be very rosy.
Oxford’s main ambition in the game was to get as many Pompey players booked as possible, every tackle led to the referee being surrounded by several yellow clad players all screaming blue murder, a tactic they used at Fratton to get Johnny Ertl sent off on the opening day, not my idea of sportsmanship, but I’m sure they will get their just desserts somewhere along the line.
Pompey almost sneaked all three points late in the second half, Wallace delivered a superb dead ball into the box, Devera though didn’t know wether to attack it with his head or feet and ended up missing it all together.
Still, a point on the road is a point well earned, if we can start picking up a few wins at home we can start looking upwards rather than over our shoulders.
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