|
Pompey collected a
Championship point at Swansea as they finally returned to action after a
three-week break. There will be mixed feelings about the result after surrendering a two-goal lead, with the visitors also surviving late pressure. Goals from Matt Ritchie and Josh Murphy had put them in a commanding position with the interval approaching in south Wales. But Connor Ogilvie inadvertently found his own net in first half stoppage-time and Liam Cullen levelled early in the second. John Mousinho made a single change from the side that beat Preston on home soil before the international break. Colby Bishop was handed a first start of the season following his surprise scoring return from heart surgery after coming off the bench. Kusini Yengi was the man to make way, with the striker suffering a knee injury while on Australia duty. Pompey found the going tough in the opening stages and their opponents were looking to apply a lot of pressure. An early free-kick led to some nervy moments in the back-line and Harry Darling eventually sent a header looping onto the roof of the net. Matt Grimes then whipped in a dangerous delivery, but Wales international Joe Allen could only nod wide at the near post. For all of their early control of possession, however, the home side were not giving Nicolas Schmid much to worry about between the sticks. And instead it was the Blues who broke the deadlock on 25 minutes following great work from Murphy on the left. He spun his marker and surged forward before delivering a low centre, with RITCHIE getting in front of Josh Tymon to force the ball over the line. Swansea tried to hit back, but Tymon’s cross was headed over the bar by former Fratton loanee Myles Peart-Harris. And the same player then only managed to connect with thin air after being picked out unmarked in the area. The travelling fans were soon in dreamland when Pompey extended their advantage in the last minute of the 45. MURPHY caught the opposition defence dithering, bursting into the box and past Ben Cabango before arrowing a shot into the bottom corner. They were unable to take a two-goal lead into the break, however, as almost immediately, Ronald’s cross was turned into his own net by Ogilvie, who was under pressure by Peart-Harris. There was still time for the visitors to go close again, but Bishop could not make a clean connection with Callum Lang’s ball across the box and scuffed wide. Half Time: Swansea 1 Pompey 2 The Swans were controlling possession as the second half got underway and looking to make inroads. And everyone inside the ground was left wondering quite how they did not manage to find the net on 51 minutes. Josh Key cut the ball back for Peart-Harris, who thundered a shot against the underside of the crossbar. But the danger was not over and Cullen’s follow-up was well saved by Schmid, while an offside Key also struck the woodwork. City did not have to wait too much longer for an equaliser, though, as Peart-Harris soon picked out Cullen to sweep home a neat finish. Mousinho – who picked up a booking following that goal, shortly after his assistant Jon Harley had also been punished – immediately brought off Bishop, with Mark O’Mahony coming on. But he lasted just 11 minutes before getting hurt and having to be replaced, along with Ritchie, by Christian Saydee and Harvey Blair. The visitors then received a let-off when Swansea substitute Jisung Eom shot wastefully wide after being teed-up by Tymon. Pompey had not threatened much at the other end and a Freddie Potts header lacked enough power to properly trouble Lawrence Vigouroux. The hosts were soon back on the attack and Schmid did superbly to turn Cullen’s close-range effort over the bar. Mousinho’s final switch saw goalscorer Murphy make way on 81 minutes, with Paddy Lane given a brief opportunity to impress. Swansea were still pushing for a winner and substitute Florian Bianchini fired narrowly past the post after being played through by Cullen. Pompey might have snatched a late goal themselves, but Saydee was unable to turn Ogilvie’s low centre on target. They did at least managed to see out the closing stages to give the fans something to celebrate on the journey home. |
||