Being Blue Through and Through (BBTandT): February 2013

Tuesday 12 February 2013

09/02/2013 AFC Bournemouth 2-0 Portsmouth: Match Report and Pictures Of The Goldsands Stadium

Match action I/II

Another game, another defeat and Pompey's wretched run of form goes on and on.

This loss to high-flying AFC Bournemouth made it nine consecutive defeats and nineteen games without a win.

Pompey's last point was secured on December 15th in a 0-0 draw with Preston North End, their last victory was against Shrewsbury Town on October 20th (a 3-1 scoreline for the record).

The grim form on the field combined and undoubtedly intertwined with the complexities off it, make positives almost impossible to find even for the most hardened of Pompey fans.

If truth be told, Pompey fans haven't really had a 'team' to support this season in the true sense of the word, more a collection of individuals brought together each week to fulfill a fixture list.

The transient nature of players' contracts, the high turnover of playing staff and the general malaise around the Club has unsurprisingly been reflected on the field of play with poor performances that will lead to the Club's relegation to the bottom tier of The Football League. The deduction of points, when it comes, no longer has any relevancy.

With this wider context in mind, Guy Whittingham and Andy Awford have performed minor miracles to get Pompey to a point where they are at least competitive, recent matches have shown signs of that.

Sadly, that's about as positive as it gets.

Match action II/II

Against AFC Bournemouth for the first hour Pompey, including three attack-minded debutants in Patrick Agyemang, Therry Racon and John Akinde, were set-up well and stuck to their game plan: two banks of four with the occasional opportunity to hit The Cherries on the break.

The home team had the lion's share of ball possession and passed and passed and passed again in an attempt to breakdown Pompey's resolute defence ably led by Ricardo Rocha and supported by full backs Dan Butler and Yassin Moutaouakil.

During the first half Lewis Grabban spurned the first of two very good Cherries' chances, blasting the ball over the bar in to the home fans when it looked easier to score.

Pompey's best effort of the first half came from on-loan Adam Reed who forced goalkeeper Jalal in to a good save, the shot being pushed around the post.

Just before the break Brett Pitman headed the ball against the underside of the cross-bar and Pompey scrambled it away to safety ensuring the first half remained goalless.

HT: AFC Bournemouth 0-0 Portsmouth

Pompey started the second half the brighter of the two teams and a number of decent chances fell to Akinde and Agyemang.

Adam Reed had another attempt at goal that unfortunately went over the bar and Butler fired in a rasping shot from all of thirty yards which Jalal tipped over the cross bar.

Pompey had clearly identified former player Matt Ritchie, playing out-of-position at left back, as a potential weak link and launched a number of attacks down the right hand side through Moutaouakil and Racon.

Unfortunately, as the play opened up, Pompey's frailties were finally exposed by the home team with first Pitman and then Mark Pugh scoring the decisive goals and putting the match beyond the visitors' reach.

Disappointingly some of the travelling fans turned their attention away from the onfield action to the taunts of the home supporters and the attention of matchday stewards and members of the local constabulary.

It wasn't a very pleasant scene on the concourse at the front of the stand as the fans in wheelchairs had to be moved to another part of the ground away from the mindless and inconsiderate few.

Sadly, as Pompey drop down the divisions and play at grounds less used to receiving a large away following this is an issue that will almost certainly crop up again and needs to be addressed.

Final Comments
So, another defeat for Pompey but their hosts will know that they had to work hard to secure the three points.

These two clubs are heading in different directions, a complete turnaround in their respective fortunes from only a few years ago.

AFC Bournemouth are the best footballing team in League One by a long way although Eddie Howe's men will need a bit more of a cutting edge in The Championship where they are surely heading. Assuming liquidation is avoided, Pompey are heading to League Two. How quickly times have changed.

FT: AFC Bournemouth 2-0 Portsmouth

A Personal Observation
A number of different people were standing on the concourse in front of me during the match. Seats may have been allocated but it made little difference to those few who wanted to move and mill around and were able to without any steward intervention which led to the scene described above.

Pompey team versus AFC Bournemouth: Simon Eastwood, Yassin Moutaouakil, Gabor Gyepes, Ricardo Rocha, Dan Butler, Therry Racon (replaced by Jed Wallace in the 69th minute), Johnny Ertl, Shaun Cooper (replaced by Liam Walker in the 82nd minute), Adam Reed, John Akinde, Patrick Agyemang (replaced by James Keene in the 65th minute). Substitutes not used: Phil Smith, Adam Webster, Sam Sodje and Ashley Harris

Referee: Mr A. Marriner

Attendance: 9,135 (1,338 Pompey fans) - this was AFC Bournemouth's biggest home crowd of the season to date.

Pompey Man Of The Match: Butler, Rocha and Moutaouakil all worked hard at the back, especially during the first half, and kept their defensive shape well. But I'd give MOTM to Adam Reed who had his most effective game to date for Pompey in the centre of midfield, clearly his more natural position.

Just out of interest the official MOTM went to former Pompey player Matt Ritchie and the Football League Paper gave it to Eunan O'Kane. Personally I thought Marc Pugh and Lewis Grabban were the standout players for the home team.

Photographs Of The Goldsands Stadium (Dean Court)