Shrewsbury broke their Fratton Park duck yesterday when they strolled to a comfortable 2-0 win. The game was no spectacle ruined by a strong gusty wind, a bumpy pitch and Pompey`s inept performance.
Awfs surprisingly named an unchanged side after last week`s defeat at AFC Wimbledon but to be honest in the key areas of defence and midfield he did not have too much choice. Pompey started brightly enough but once the Shrews extinguished that early threat there was only one winner. Two left footed long range finishes from Bobby Grant midway through each half settled it.
Pompey lost Danny East to what looked like a hamstring pull just before the break and Awfs put on Wes Fogden as right wing back. After the break it appeared at though Pompey switched to a back four with a diamond in midfield but that did little to threaten the confident visitors.
It was not surprising that the full time whistle was greeted with widespread booing from those left in the ground.
One final point – why did Referee Collins take no action against Grant for the way he celebrated his second in front of the Fratton End in a manner clearly meant to incite the home fans?
Pompey (3-5-2): Jones; Devera, Nosworthy, Chorley (c); East (Fogden 41), Dunne, Wallace, Hollands (Chaplin 70), Kpekawa; Tubbs, Taylor (McCallum 78)
Booked: Nosworthy, Dunne
Subs not used: Cornell, Butler, Close, Atangana
Referee: Lee Collins
Attendance: 14,749 (590 away fans)
Defenders needed – the loss of Jack is a huge blow. Knee ligaments can be a real problem so let`s hope he comes back really strong. I still believe that the injury was more due to the state of the pitch than any other factor as he turned in the North West quarter.
Meanwhile the Tesco store is beginning to look like it will be finished not long after the end of the season. You will soon be able to do your shopping after the game – in fact during the game yesterday. But how will that work with traffic at such a huge store when a game is on? Chaos methinks.
Next week
Good Friday and it is off to Carlisle`s northern outpost Brunton Park. It is the league club furthest from any other and some joker at the Football League has decided that a Bank Holiday trip for Pompey fits the bill! – just a short trip!
With the two clubs so far apart it is not surprising that home team have dominated to a huge extent. Pompey have travelled to Cumbria seventeen times in League games and have won just twice – in 1973 and 1985 – with five draws.
It is a pilgrimage that most fans say they have to make and for me that year had to be 1970. No fans seemed to be organising a coach so I decided to go it alone and was quoted £300 for a fifty seater – easy maths £6 per head! – a lot of money in those days. I managed to collect about twenty five deposits but with a few days to go I had to bail out and cancel the trip. Sad really and I have never got that far north.
Oh the result that December afternoon you want to know – Pompey lost 6-0!!
This week`s video
SV Darmstadt 98 recently lost 2-0 to Fortuna Düsseldorf in their Bundesliga 2 fixture. Darmstadt striker Dominik Stroh-Engel providing this gem on a bad day all round for the Lillies, manager Dirk Schuster may well hold his head in his hands.
Evelina is Eastney`s own Lithuanian import and I made a point of consoling her after her nation`s thrashing at Wembley on Friday night. ‘I didn`t know we had a football team` Eve replied to which I retorted ‘I am not sure you have after that performance!`
Manager situation
A heated debate took place in the local pub on Friday over the manager Pompey need next season. There were three points of views.
? Do a Hartlepool and appoint a short term fix with a man like Ronnie Moore who has pulled the Pool out of the bottom two when all seemed lost. As Richard Money, Cambridge boss said in the week, if Pool escape then Moore should be manager of the season. Moore has had a chequered career and arrived at St James` Park when the Pool had no other choice. He walked into the dressing room and gave the players a choice, perform or stack shelves in Asda. It worked and four wins on the trot have started an unlikely revival course.
? Find a manager who can get Pompey to the Championship and then be jettisoned. A man with loads of experience in the lower leagues who knows what to do to get out however ugly it might need to be at times. Of course we had one of them in Steve Cotterill and another was mentioned it the past, Sean O`Driscoll who is currently working for the FA with England U19s. There are others and they won`t come cheap.
? Stick with Awfs who spell at Pompey boss can best be described as patchy. Twice manager of the month and yet the butt of many fans anger after recent poor performances. With the club now a community club should we keep faith with Andy or perhaps find him a mentor as a shoulder to lean on and learn from. Gary Waddock does not really fit that bill and little is known as to how the two men gel. Awfs also appears to want to constantly change direction, one minute bringing his youngsters into the side and then bring in veteran loanees to fill the gaps.
You pay you money and take your choice.
Illuminating facts
I gather the Fratton Park floodlights to be replaced. At the Cheltenham game I thought one half of the pitch – the Fratton End – was brighter than the other! Some bulbs were working others out. The pylons are now over fifty years old being officially opened with a friendly against Burnley in October 1963. Of course before that Pompey hosted the first ever league match under lights on 22 February 1956 the game kicking off at 7pm despite a power failure before the game.
and finally…
Did you remember to put yours clocks forward? Summer is here.
PUP
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