Pompey kept up recent good form with another good result, the performance wasn’t great, but you know what they say about grinding out results when not playing well!
Dumbuya earned an instant recall after international duty, Webster giving way to earn a deserved break from the pressure.
Jordan Obita was absent from the squad, he had been recalled by Reading anyway but left earlier due to a family bereavement.
The first half was flatter than a Dutch plain, really lacking in any quality or chances.
Thomas had our best chance of the half, hitting wide when he intercepted Gyepes’ long range hit.
Shrewsbury though should of gone in at half time one up, a candidate for miss of the season saw the ball scooped over the bear from 2 yards out, think Kanu for West Brom a few years back.
Andersen showed his shot stopping qualities just after, flinging himself to his right to keep out a well struck free kick.
After the buoyant news of the last week, Pompey were playing real ale rather than champagne football, but if the first half was uneventful, the second at least got the blood flowing.
Pompey were up before the blue plastic seats were warm again, Thomas was the scorer, latching on to a McLeod flick and rounding the keeper, his left footed strike just evading the back tracking defender.
Pompey like to score in pairs this season it seems, and within minutes doubled the advantage, this time Howard threaded in McLeod who showed great composure in lifting the ball into the net, amazing how a bit of confidence can lift a player!
The quick goals gave Shrewsbury a shot in the arm also, almost immediately they were back in it, Andersen could only parry a long ranger and Morgan reacted well to the loose ball to steer his shot home.
Morgan though with adrenaline still pumping put his side right on the back foot again, first he earned a yellow for a skirmish straight from the restart, then not happy with the caution he towered over the ref spouting abuse to get himself the red, nice one son!
This should have been the que for Pompey to oppose their authority over the ten men, however Shrewsbury were galvanized by the red and threw everything at Pompey, Gyepes twice making important blocks in the area during a spell where the shrews forced about 4 corners and a couple of dangerous free kicks.
Bazsuky showed his dead quality at the other end, his first free kick was deflected narrowly over the bar, the next forced a scrambling low save.
The ref called for 6 minutes injury time and Pompey looked to be hanging on, McLeod though kept up his livid purple patch by slotting home in the dying seconds to give Pompey another maximum.
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