Pompey seem to have slipped into a familiar pattern once more, today’s game reminded me of the Doncaster defeat in many ways, not just the scoreline, but in the manner of defeat.
The old cliche of ‘game of two halves’ has never been truer, thing is, both halves were the same! Pompey dominance in possesion and chances, but done by the sucker punch for the goals conceded.
Pompey welcomed back Kitson from his ban, Lawrence from his red tape nightmare and Rocha gave his hamstrings another stretching. Giving way were Ciftci, sonko and rather unluckily Ward.
Pompey set about their task well enough, Nugent missed a couple, Kanu missed one, Utaka headed wide and even Dickinson fired one past the post, Lawrence then clipped the bar with a free kick, surely Pompey would get some luck today? Well no, Bullard smashed the bar at the other end from a set piece and then Cameron Stewart wa alledgedly bought down in Pompey’s area, it looked harsh to me from the south stand, but the ball should never have been anywhere near him in the first place, Mokoena made a hash of a clearance and Halford was at stretch to finish the job, stewart though went down with an almighty splash and that was that.
Bullard did the rest and Hull had an unlikely lead.
Pompey countered once more and Utaka headed wide without testing Guzan, then Hreidarsson on for the crocked Rocha cleared the bar with his headed effort, Pompey went in a goal down with most of the crowd mouthing ‘how the hell are we losing this one?’
Second half and it was more of the same, Pompey pressure with Guzan not fully stretched in the Hull goal, Pompey finally made the breakthrough though when Gerrard bought down Nugent as he tried to break clear, Lawrence dispatching with ease.
Pompey pushed for a lead, Utaka though dragged one effort well wide when clean through and then fired wide as he cut in once more from the left, just as you felt Pompey would finally score, our defence went all Santa again, Solano beat Dickinson and slotted in Fryatt for a debut goal, 3 minutes later it was more of the same, Barmby found himself in acres, turned and fired past Ashdown once more, 3-1 and Pompey were shell shocked.
Halford pulled back another goal with quarter of an hour left, heading home a corner, but the equaliser would not come. Kitson rose to head a great chance straight at Guzan, Lawrence found him again with a shot from distance, then Nugent fianlly got in behind with seconds left, this time the ‘keeper did hace to work, spreading himself to deny Pompey the point.
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