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Sunday Chimes #128 – Pompey blown away by Rovers

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Image for Sunday Chimes #128 – Pompey blown away by Rovers


Blackburn Rovers 3 Pompey 0

Pompey`s miserable week in the north ended with a heavy defeat in atrocious conditions in East Lancashire.

KJ made just one change bringing back Jamal Lowe with Gareth Evans dropping to the bench.

Reports suggest that the conditions ruined any chance of entertaining football and goals from Dack and Graham either side of half time put the game beyond Pompey. Rovers had substitute Dominic Samuel sent off late on but to rub salt into Blue wounds Craig Conway broke away and added athird on time.

Afterwards Jackett admitted “Blackburn made less mistakes than us. ‘I felt they looked more solid – and more solid at the back. Up to the first goal there was one clearcut chance at either end. Then we`ve made a real poor mistake to give them the goal. Blackburn never made those kind of mistakes.”

Quite a miserable way to celebrate Trafalgar Day

Pompey (4-2-3-1): McGee; Thompson, Burgess, Clarke, Donohue; O`Keefe (c), Close; Lowe, Bennett (Chaplin 64), Kennedy (Naismith 76); Hawkins (Pitman 64)
Booked: Donohue
Subs not used: Bass, Haunstrup, Rose, Evans

Referee: Chris Kavanagh

Attendance: 11,673 (1,209 Pompey fans)

Life and Chimes

The week started well with the Life and Chimes show at the Kings Theatre. Ian Darke and Peter Brackley did a remarkable job as hosts in a production that had the packed house rolling in laughter at times and on their feet applauding the entrance of heroes from the past.

It helped of course because Darke is Pompey born and a huge fan and when it came to talking about highlights (and some lowlights) in Pompey`s history he was there.

Of the current squad, only Jack Whatmough and Brett Pitman were there as they overcome injuries. Others present and involved included Ray Crawford, John Milkins, Dave Munks, Billy Wilson, Billy Gilbert, Noel Blake, Paul Walsh, Alan Biley, Alan McLoughlin, Alan Knight and Hermann. There were also recorded messages from Shaka Hislop, Guy Whittingham, Linvoy Primus and Harry Redknapp.

It is difficult to do the show justice in a few words but the stand out moments were Ray Crawford admitting he earned only £10 per week, Hermann impersonating Elvis, Blakie being shown that own goal at Plough Lane in 1984 for the first time and Alan Biley meeting Santa!

One mistake made was that Knightsie did not play against Liverpool in 1980, Peter Mellor was in goal.

Well done all and I know Ed and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening which over ran to a total of three hours.

Xmas Eve

There have been arguments about kick off times if PL games moved to Sunday – give us a break I have only ever been to one game and that was the FA Cup replay with Wimbledon back in 1979 when 17,265 saw a thrilling 3-3 draw after extra time. The only problem for me was that I was staying with my parents in Farlington over Christmas and I had to walk all the way.

Last week the FSF described the prospect of fixtures being moved from Saturday 23 December to Christmas Eve to be broadcast by Sky Sports as “a new low point in putting the interests of football broadcasters over those of match-going fans” I could not agree more Christmas Eve is a special day and should be kept that way. In 1979 I had just become a father and wanted to get home having worked that day but had to stop off at Fratton Park on the way home have a pint with a couple of Don`s fans in the Brewer`s Arms (now shut) before the game.

I wrote all that and the Premier League decide against the idea ?. Hoorah!

Next week

Next Saturday the Bantams come to Fratton Park. Bradford City are the only club who have been attracting bigger crowds than Pompey this season – 20,066 yesterday to see them beaten by Charlton.

City made their first visit in the FA Cup was back in 1920 a game won by the Yorkshire club but Pompey had their revenge in 1929 when they won 2-0 on their way to their first Wembley final.

The two sides have met thirty-six times in the past with both winning on sixteen occasions and just four draw. Most of the games came in the 1920s and 1970/80s. The last meetings were in Pompey`s promotion season of 2002/03 when the home side won 3-0 at Fratton with two goals from Nigel Quashie and the other Vincent Pericard.

The only draw at Fratton Park came in October 1997 when an Alan McLoughlin penalty earned a 1-1 score.

Live again.. but

Pompey`s FA Cup First Round tie at Luton`s Kenilworth Road will be televised live but will only be shown outside of the UK.

And finally… rebounds

Juventus beat Sporting 2-1 in the Champions League this week, but had to come back from a goal behind following this unfortunate contribution from Brazilian defender Alex Sandro – seen here undoing all of his goalkeeper’s good work…



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'Sunday Chimes Editor'