Pompey 1 Bury 0
Pompey moved to within touching distance of the play-off places with a laborious single goal win over struggling Bury yesterday afternoon at Fratton Park; they are only behind Charlton now on goals scored.
Kyle Bennett in for Conor Chaplin was the only change KJ made to the side that won at Charlton last week. The Shakers included Michael Smith up front, the striker having plenty to prove after being shown the exit door thanks to a great extent due to the minority of fans who reviled him.
The game was best forgotten as Pompey failed to produce much in the way of pressure and was only punctuated by the off effort on goal mostly from long range. Danny Rose started that by having a thirty-yard effort turned over acrobatically by Bury keeper Leo Fasan on fifteen minutes. Before the break Fasan did well to stop a Gareth Evans effort after the ball had been deflected to the Pompey midfield man.
At the break Kenny made a change with Ben Close replacing Stuart O`Keefe but it was the visitors who started the stronger and Pompey did not see much Pompey the ball and when they did sloppy passing soon returned it to their opponents. From a free kick on the left Luke McGee got up well to punch clear and another Bury effort flew just over.
KJ made his second change and Bennett was withdrawn to be replaced by Chaplin and that had an immediate effect. Pompey won a corner on the left and Evans whipped in a low cross and Matt Clarke was unmarked at the back post to head home.
That was about it Bury huffed and puffed and created little and Pompey tried to hit them on the break but all too often crucial passes were overhit and the chance had gone.
Michael Smith was replaced on sixty-nine minutes and was given good reception by the majority of fans – former Blue Chris Maguire coming on.
Pompey are sorely missing Kal Naismith as neither Bennett or Chaplin on current form look capable of playing in the number ten role and yesterday neither produced anything of note. Bennett after picking up and early booking against his former employers seemed to overrun the ball and his passes to the men in black. Chaplin was too lightweight and relied solely on his left foot to run and pass.
One positive has been the improved delivery with Evans given the job. In consecutive games his crosses from dead ball situations have led to goals being scored and six points tucked in the back pocket.
If you think that was boring take your mind back exactly forty-five years and the visit of Middlesbrough to Fratton. The game ended goalless with almost no goalmouth action and the attendance was just 4,688 the lowest ever for a home league game. Sad to say I was there.
Pompey (4-2-3-1): McGee; Thompson, Burgess, Clarke, Haunstrup; O`Keefe (Close 46), Rose; Evans, Bennett (Chaplin 60), Lowe; Pitman (c)
Goals: Clarke 62
Booked: Bennett, Evans
Subs not used: Bass, Talbot, Donohue, Kennedy, Main
Referee: John Brooks
Attendance: 17,549 (176 away fans)
After the game assistant boss Joe Gallen told the Official Site “If you look at the table this morning you would have seen us in seventh and Bury sitting at the bottom.
“So perhaps some of the fans were thinking it would be a pretty straightforward afternoon, but it never turns out like that. Coming out of it with a goal from a set-piece and having not conceded is great and we had to be patient.
“Bury were always going to try to close things up in the first half and quieten the crowd. That`s what we would have done in their situation. We`re just pleased with another victory and it sets us up nicely for next week, which is another big game against a side above us.”
A fiver for your seat
Pompey are appealing to fans who have a season ticket and cannot attend a certain game to make their seat available using the exchange scheme.
If a buyer is found they will receive a £5 credit in their online ticketing account, which can be used towards the renewal of their season ticket.
The easiest way to secure a seat from the ticket exchange is online here, but supporters can also contact the ticket office, either in person at Frogmore Road or by calling 0345 646 1898.
Click here for more information on how you can make your seat available or buy a seat using the ticket exchange.
Let`s stop leaving empty seats when for whatever reason you cannot make the game and let another fan have temporary loan of your seat.
Were you there? Christmas special
Yes we have it the ultimate Christmas game when Santa allowed Alan Biley to score twice and win an important promotion game with Oxford. I was there ?.were you?
I will always remember an old friend of Vital Pompey Pompey4me and he was one fan who left early and had never seen the goals until I found this video.
Next week
The last game before Christmas sees Pompey make the long trip to Shrewsbury to take on the surprise package in the Division.
The two clubs have met twenty times in league games since the first game in 1961 and most of the games were in the 70s and 80s. The only two meetings in Shropshire since the turn of the century have ended in defeat. The last Pompey win game on the opening game of the 1988/89 season when Terry Connor and substitute Mark Kelly netting as Pompey won 2-1. That was the first game after relegation from the top flight.
The two sides have never been drawn together in a cup competition.
On current form The Shrews have won just one in the last four – that being a single goal victory over Blackpool yesterday.
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