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Pompey suffered a 2-1 defeat
at Preston, but will be left wondering quite how they lost a game they
looked comfortable in for long periods. They managed to battle back from conceding a late goal, with Colby Bishop quickly grabbing an equaliser. But some sloppy play at the back then allowed Stefán Thórdarson to put the home side back into the lead and they held on despite Sam Greenwood’s late dismissal. John Mousinho made three changes from the side beaten by Plymouth on home soil earlier in the week. Cohen Bramall was handed a first start at left-back, while there were returns for Terry Devlin and Kusini Yengi. Skipper Marlon Pack joined Zak Swanson and Matt Ritchie on the bench, with Regan Poole wearing the armband. Pompey looked in control throughout the first half, although were unable to turn that into many meaningful chances. Indeed, it was the home side who threatened first when Thórdarson’s corner was nodded down and Ryan Ledson’s effort had to be dealt with by Nicolas Schmid. Kaine Kesler-Hayden’s shot was also deflected wide, but most of the action was taking place at the other end of the pitch. The Blues were not making the most of their promising moments, with Freddie Potts doing well to beat two players, only to hit a poor pass towards Bishop. Yengi went down in the box under pressure from Ryan Porteous on 27 minutes, only to have his penalty appeals waved away by referee Tony Harrington. The best chances happened towards the end of the half, as Freddie Woodman dealt with Josh Murphy’s long-range effort. Liam Lindsay soon made a vital interception to deny Potts a simple finish from Murphy’s dangerous low delivery. And Andre Dozzell then curled the ball narrowly past the post, as the Blues showed some real attacking intent. Half Time: Preston 0 Pompey 0 Paul Heckingbottom showed what he thought of his side’s display before the interval by making a quadruple switch at the break. Pompey were still causing problems, though, and Woodman did well to get to a teasing low Murphy delivery before anyone else. Bramall was then able to block a Kesler-Hayden header at the other end, as the wing-back tried to convert a Robbie Brady centre. But Emil Riis certainly should have done better than nod Greenwood’s pin-point cross wide of the post. Mousinho responded with a change just before the hour mark, as Aouchiche made way for Kaide Gordon. The visitors came close to breaking the deadlock on 67 minutes, when a ferocious 30-yard strike from Bramall left the crossbar rattling. And a second switch immediately followed, with Mark O’Mahony replacing Yengi at the front of the forward line. Murphy then sent in a cross that drifted towards goal and had to be claimed by Woodman right under his own bar. But the Blues were made to pay for not taking their chances when Preston took the lead on 76 minutes. A deep pass up the pitch was nodded on twice, the second time by Ched Evans just a few seconds after entering the pitch, and bundled home by Porteous at the far post. They were not behind for long, however, drawing level after Murphy had seen one corner nervously dealt with. His second effort was played into the perfect spot for BISHOP to lash the ball into the net from close range. But the Blues immediately had to rely on their keeper to keep the scores level, with Schmid somehow denying Evans from point-blank range. They were in more generous mood on 87 minutes, though, as a mix-up at the back allowed Thórdarson to collect the ball and find the net from a tight angle. Greenwood was dismissed in stoppage-time after catching Bishop with a high arm to earn a second booking, but there was not enough time for the visitors to take advantage. |
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