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Pompey brought a memorable
year to a close with a performance against Bristol City they will want to
quickly forget. The Robins were able to pay their opponents back for a 3-0 defeat at Fratton Park by winning by the same scoreline on their own patch. All the goals arrived in the first half, with an Anis Mehmeti brace added to by Rob Dickie’s close-range finish. John Mousinho made four changes from the side that were unfortunate to lose at Watford on Boxing Day. Sammy Silvera was handed a first start for three months, while there were also spots for Paddy Lane, Owen Moxon and Terry Devlin. Josh Murphy, Callum Lang, Freddie Potts and Zak Swanson were the men to make way, with the quartet dropping to the bench. Former Fratton loanees Ross McCrorie and Cam Pring both started for the hosts, although League Two title hero Kal Naismith was injured. It was a cagey opening to proceedings, with neither side able to create much in the final third during the early stages. The much-changed visitors were looking fairly comfortable – until the first goal went in after 15 minutes. Max Bird threaded a pass through for Mehmeti, who just about managed to stay onside before racing clear and coolly slotting home. The Blues had a chance to level when Colby Bishop got past Luke McNally and hit a difficult effort that was held by Max O’Leary. But the rest of the half belonged to the home side and Nicolas Schmid did well to turn a fierce Nahki Wells strike around the post. Moxon was then forced to hack the ball clear after McCrorie was left all alone to nod a corner back into the mixer. The Robins made their pressure count on 32 minutes, however, as Mehmeti sprayed the ball out to Wells, then surged into the area to convert the return pass. And things got even worse for Pompey moments later after they failed to get a corner properly clear. McCrorie was able to head the ball on and McNally hooked it towards goal, where Schmid parried the ball away and Dickie was quickest to pounce. Half Time: Bristol City 3 Pompey 0 The visitors looked more assured straight after the interval, although a period of possession ultimately came to nothing. And while their opponents were seemingly happy to take their foot off the attacking pedal, Wells still tried a shot that was deflected behind. A Scott Twine attempt was also blocked and when the ball came back into the box, Schmid punched it away. Substitute George Tanner’s cross then took a deflection and almost caught out the keeper, but dropped just wide. Pompey made a triple switch just past the hour mark, as Moxon, Silvera and Matt Ritchie made way for Potts, Lang and Murphy. They were indebted to their keeper for not conceding again soon after, though, as Schmid got down to his right to turn a low Sam Bell shot around the post. Mehmeti might have completed his hat-trick when the ball landed invitingly at the back post, only for the forward to make a mess of his effort. Christian Saydee was brought on for Bishop on 81 minutes, as the Blues kept plugging away in search of a consolation. But the closest they came was when Murphy’s cross was nodded back by Devlin and Pack hooked the ball narrowly wide. |
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