@PompeyChicken gives a match report ‘mash up’ of Pompey’s victory in South Wales with a little help from (mainly) Pompey fans on Twitter and BBC Radio Solent.
Goals from David Nugent and Greg Halford secured Pompey all three points at the Liberty Stadium against high-flying Swansea City.
Just over 17,500 fans, boosted by over 1,000 who made the treacherous trip up from the South Coast, witnessed the game, it was Swansea’s biggest home gate of the season. The game had been moved to the Friday evening because of the Wales international rugby match on the Saturday.
@Josh23perry: Snow absolutely chucking it down. Literally a mini blizzard. Hopefully the game still goes ahead. Although I’m worried.
@Alexb19: Swansea here we come. Swansea Swansea here we come!
@Blu33arthling: @Pompey_Pages Pompey on another European tour. Full moon in Swansea high st
@mikwade: #Pompey fans are quality
@ChrisPagey: Swansea Pompey freezing
@wordsfailme: play up #pompey – do it for the 1,000 who have made the effort tonight in the snow, magnificent stuff from our supporters
Pompey were unchanged from the team that lost 1-0 against Barnsley the previous weekend. As they did at Oakwell, Pompey donned their all black away strip. Unfortunately, to complete a hat-trick of similarities, they found themselves behind conceding a goal very early on to Craig Beattie. It was poor defending by Pompey but a nicely taken goal from Beattie shooting from just inside the box to the left of the diving Jamie Ashdown.
@wordsfailme: clearly #pompey didn’t read my tweet
@chalkface2009: oh ffs #pompey
@shortythesheep: 1-0 down already?!?! It can only be pompey
@DJDcee: You are KIDDDDDING me?! 1-0 down already..... 55 seconds in..... #Pompey
Swansea were in the ascendency and could have scored further goals, the tricky Nathan Dyer in particular causing problems.
@officialpompey: Swansea are on top here - Pratley, Gower and Dyer have all gone close #pompey
However, although Swansea had the initiative and were the better team early on, the travelling Pompey faithful didn’t give up hope and as more of them arrived at the ground following their difficult journey the Pompey Chimes became clearly audible over the airwaves.
The Pompey players responded by picking up their game and were unlucky to have a ‘goal’ by Dave Kitson chalked off for an apparent handball during the build-up.
@havelock34: Linesman needs shooting. Play up Pompey. Hopefully that will get us going.
@officialpompey: Kitson nets but its ruled out for handball in the build-up #Pompey
@Pompey_Pages: Pompey (Kitson) scores but ruled out for handball - poor decision as well!
After enduring half an hour of Swansea pressure, which yielded no further goals, Pompey started to come into the game more, John Utaka in particular sparked into life which appeared to follow an exchange of words with Kitson after the breakdown of one move. Chances started to emerge for Pompey.
@princessclairin : @Pompey_Pages but he is john utaka football genius! we sing it so he will believe it..#pompey
@wordsfailme: good football from #pompey and it's Utaka. Who cares if he's lazy, he's good at football.
@Pompey Chicken: Kitson goes close with a header following good work by Utaka #Pompey
@officialpompey: Great work by John Utaka to burst past several players and send a cross into the box, but Kitson's header flies over #pompey
With Pompey having taken the initiative away from the home team it was no surprise with half-time approaching that David Nugent drew Pompey level, following more good work by Utaka. His through ball split open the defence leaving Nugent free to slip the ball calmly underneath the advancing goalkeeper. A really good goal and well deserved.
@Pompey_Pages: POMPEY 1-1 DUH DUH DUH DUH DAVID NUGENT!
@Princessclairin: yyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssss! #pompey
@PompeyChicken: Goaaaaaaallllllllllllllllll! Swansea 1-1 Pompey #Pompey David Nugent. WoooooooHoooooooooo!
@shortythesheep: David nugent baby! 1-1 game on! play up pompey, dodododo david nugent dodododo, david nugent!
@AdeSmith: Nugent scored for England in a small European country and now he's done the same for #Pompey.
@officialpompey: Nugent coolly slid the ball home after his run had been picked out by Utaka. Much better from #Pompey in the last few minutes
Despite playing poorly at the start of the match Pompey emerged at half-time on level terms, a spirited comeback against a team that had a strong record at the Liberty Stadium: only one defeat and two goals conceded all season before this game.
The players deserved their half-time cup of tea (or whatever they drink these days) before Steve Cotterill shared his words of wisdom and inspiration, which he has done on a few occasions this season to pep up the team for the second half.
@wordsfailme: if there's one thing cotterill is good at, it's half time team talks #pompey
HT: Swansea City 1-1 Pompey
@solentsport: #pompeyfc Half time at The Liberty Stadium - Swansea 1-1 #pompey (Beattie on 2 mins for the Swans, Nugent on 43 for Pompey)
@Pompey_Pages: Rocha, Halford and Nugent all been booked in the first half! #pompey
@josh23perry: Almost outrageous how this game is 1-1. Swansea have outplayed #Pompey in every department. Joel Ward has got an absolute roasting at LB.
@josh23perry: The performance tonight makes the decision not to sign anyone on loan deadline day all the more baffling. We look so heavy legged. #pompey
@josh23perry: Saying that, if we somehow win this, Cotteril is a genius. #pompey
Pompey picked-up in the second half where they left off the first, the radio commentators relaying periods of Pompey pressure. The chants of the Pompey fans were coming through loud and clear.
Interestingly, at one point during the second half BBC Radio Solent had to turn down their effects microphone because it was picking-up some rather colourful language from the Swansea fans sitting in and around them!
The main commentator went through a period of whispering in a hushed tone, all very bizarre as it didn’t stop his co-commentator Pompey legend Andy Awford making plenty of exclamations!
They both mentioned how Steve Cotterill was ‘living and breathing’ every moment of the game, something he’s done at quite a few matches this season from his technical area.
Pompey’s second goal came from a free-kick. The lively Liam Lawrence dinked a very short pass forward to Utaka who ‘teed’ the ball up for an excellent, whipped cross into the box where on-loan Greg Halford jumped unmarked to head his second goal of the season.
@Pompey_Pages: GREG HALFORD GIVES POMPEY THE LEAD!!!! #pompey
@PompeyChicken: Yeeeeesssssssss! Goaaalllllllll! Swansea 1-2 #Pompey, Greg Halford!
@Pompey_Pages: Swansea 1 Pompey 2 - Lawrence free-kick whipped in and Halford gets on the end of it to send Pompey in to the lead! #pompey #scafc
@DJDcee: Halford u beauty!!!! 2-1 #Pompey
@Rocky_Gibbs: Pompey 2-1 up wooh!!!!
@alextwilson: GET IN POMPEY
@MicKarchie: Get in! Play up Pompey
@Rourkey76: Yes get in !!! Well done @Greg_Halford Come on boys hold on now! #pompey!
@officialpompey: GOAL!!! Swansea 1 #Pompey 2 (Halford 65)
As Swansea failed to make any in roads, their manager Brendon Rogers made all three substitutions at the same time in an attempt to revitalise his team, a trick he obviously picked-up at Chelsea when Jose Mourinho was manager. But if truth be told it made little difference much to the frustration of some of the home fans.
@Officialpompey: Swansea have made a triple substitution with Dobbie, van der Gun and Agustien all coming on #pompey
@wordsfailme: Is that frustration from the home fans i'm detecting. Positive sign. #pompey
Pompey were the better team in the second half and once ahead were comfortable at the back despite some late pressure from the home team, Rocha in particular putting in a good performance alongside South African captain Aaron Mokoena.
@swansong_2010: Pompey looking the better side and deserve the lead on their 2nd half display
@officialpompey: Swansea pushing forward but #Pompey are holding firm
@Pompey_Pages: "Rocha has been immaculate, he hasn't put a foot wrong" #pompey
Pompey used their substitutions wisely. Richard Hughes replaced Michael Brown, who has been working his socks off for the cause over the last few matches. Hughes is Pompey’s equivalent of a baseball closing pitcher, brought on to shore things up and ensure the game is a brought to a positive conclusion. During the final minutes of the game, including the three added on, two further substitutions were made. Hermann came on to make a nuisance of himself up-front, replacing Kitson who’d had his most effective game for a while and then teenager Nadir Ciftci replaced Utaka.
@Pompey_Pages: HERMANN HREIDARSSON on for DAVE KITSON - Kitson puts in a much improved performance before making way on 89' #pompey
@Pompey_Pages: What is with sticking Hermann Hreidarsson up-front again? #pompey
With some of the Pompey fans now baring their torsos to the cold Welsh night air, waving their shirts above their heads and urging the referee to blow his whistle, the team dug in and held on.
@paulpfcgarner: Just injury time to go c'mon Pompey!!!
@mchippindale: C'mon Pompey! Two minutes to go. Am on tenterhooks via BBC mobile at Manchester Piccadilly #fb
@moodie: Come on pompey!
@chalkface2009: #pompey hold on lads.
@wordsfailme: *whistles* #pompey
After the final whistle the Pompey players acknowledged the magnificent support and the fans celebrated victory.
@officialpompey: #Pompey players applauding the travelling fans behind the goal
This was an excellent and well-deserved comeback victory for Pompey. Whereas the previous week they were unable to breakdown the Barnsley defence at the Liberty Stadium they did so with aplomb, scoring two very good goals. No mean feat against a Swansea team who were looking to put pressure on the top two teams – QPR and Cardiff City - before their clash at Loftus Road on Saturday.
Next up for Pompey is Burnley at Fratton Park. Steve Cotterill was on a combined TV pundit / scouting mission on Saturday evening for Sky Sports at Turf Moor, watching the home team perform their own comeback victory 2-1 over Derby County.
FT: Swansea City 1-2 Pompey
Here’s a selection of the post-match tweets from jubilant Pompey fans:
@OldPompeyBlue: FULL TIME!!! Swansea 1 Pompey 2 - Great win for Pompey!!
@chalkface2009: #pompey jingles bells jingle bells jingle all the way
@shortythesheep: 2-1 pompey! made my week! Well done @Greg_Halford and the lads! Blue Army!
@princessclairin: up to 12th! magnificent work #pompey and big up to the travelling posse, you sounded amazing
@davidpfleet: get in there pompey!!
@cken99: Pompey back to winning ways away to Swansea. Great start to the week-end.
@PompeyChicken: FT Swansea 1-2 #Pompey, 'All Blacks' win in Wales!
@robinteare: Great result Pompey
@Pompey_Bitch: @officialpompey I'm H-A-P-P-Y I'm H-A-P-P-Y I know I am I'm sure I am I'm H-A-P-P-Y Play Up Pompey
@MikeyTRRP: Well, pompey won. Thats awesome news. 2-1 against the team who are third. Play up Pompey!
@chalkface2009: #pompey \O/clapclapclapclapclap\O/
@1898Fratton: GET IN THERE. PLAY UP POMPEY!
@MicKarchie: Back on the road again. Play up Pompey
@duncanowen: What a win, Proud to be Blue! #pompey
@Alexb19: BLUUUEEEE ARRRMMMYYY #pompey
@hornej13: what a bloody brilliant result away at Swansea. Play up Pompey!!! #Pompey
@josh23perry: Well that was the definition of an away day 'smash & grab'. So much improved 2nd half. Looked a different team. #pompey #scafc
For a list of Pompey fans using Twitter that @PompeyChicken has identified to date see this link:
http://twitter.com/#!/PompeyChicken/pompeyfans
The BBC Radio Solent page can be found here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/solent/
@PompeyChicken 28/11/2010
