A Point To Be Proud Of

There was understandably a sense of déjà vu for yesterday’s game: like last Saturday we went into it as underdogs, ready to take a point before kick-off, with our grounds for optimism resting this time less on key players missing for the opposition (although it seemed Portsmouth would be lacking a few) than our recent record against them, including the fixture at their place in November when McGrandles made his only meaningful contribution for us by heading in the equaliser. Get something from this game and the evidence of Jones making a real difference would mount. And we did, with a gritty performance meriting a point in a game which either side might have one – and the other felt aggrieved if they had.

The team showed a couple of changes from Bolton, with Bakinson available again and going straight back in, displacing Coventry, for whom there was not even a place on the bench, while May was chosen to start ahead of Ladapo alongside Kanu, which had more of an air of rotation about it, with Ladapo and Aneke available from the bench, with perhaps the thinking being to go for greater mobility to begin with and presumably add more power and strength later against tiring defenders. Small kept his place as one of the wing-backs, with Edun among the subs, as did Anderson, to continue to play a more advanced role in midfield.

Everyone was still settling in when we almost took the lead then immediately after almost fell behind. Bakinson’s pass was allowed to run through to Kanu just inside the left side of the box. He took a touch then shot across their keeper, only for the ball to hit the inside of the far post and rebound for they guy to gather. A centimetre or two the other way and it would have gone in off the post. But the keeper then cleared upfield and suddenly we were stretched. Jones flattened one guy but the ref played advantage, leading to a decent shot which Isted turned aside. Just why the referee did not give Jones a yellow once play had stopped seemed a mystery, but was just as well for use that he didn’t.

The rest of the half was pretty even, although Portsmouth had spells when they were on top and during them looked the more likely to take the lead. In the end both sides had another very good opening each and both failed to capitalise. For them, on 15 minutes a cross from their right side found a guy unmarked close in. He really should have scored but directed his header at a good height for Isted to turn it aside, then a second header looped over him but came back off the bar. If the first guy had headed down it surely would have been a goal.  

For us, just after the half-hour good play down the right side ended with Watson able to deliver an excellent ball into the area of doubt around the near post. Unfortunately for us both Kanu and May went to the same place and really got in each other’s way. Kanu was first but seemed to make no contact with his lunge, which nevertheless at least distracted May, who was unable to make meaningful contact. It was the sort of chance you suspect he would have buried earlier in the season, if he’d been on his own.

Also, after Bakinson had picked up a yellow for kicking the ball away after conceding a free kick – after three had suffered the same fate for the same sin against Bolton – and to add insult to injury shortly after a Portsmouth player threw it away and escaped Scot-free, we had the opportunity to open the scoring in stoppage time. Anderson closed down their defender receiving the ball from the keeper, blocked his clearance and was first to the loose ball. He squared it for Kanu but a defender got there first.

At the break the stats showed us having had 42% possession but only two attempts on goal and none on target (a little harsh but true) against nine and three respectively for Portsmouth. That does suggest they edged it overall, but really there was little in it.

The second half was pretty even too. If you had to choose you’d say we shaded it this time, but the final good chances went to Portsmouth and we could easily have been on the end of a cruel defeat.

Aneke’s appearance came on the hour, replacing May, who continues to look rather out of sorts with the new set-up and requirements. And his introduction was followed by a flurry of chances, with Aneke shooting over, Kanu having a shot blocked, then a move from the left went across their box and ran for Edmonds-Green to get the shot in. That was saved but in the scramble which followed we had what proved to be a fair shout for a penalty, the ball being diverted away by their defender’s arm. Jones protested and picked up a yellow for his efforts (which will see him suspended for the next two), harsh you might say but he was fortunate not to have been booked for his early foul.

On 76 minutes we made two further changes, with Gillesphey on for a limping Watson (with Edmonds-Green moving to wing-back) and Camara replacing Bakinson, the assumption being that Anderson would drop deeper to accompany Dobson. We huffed and puffed, but with Aneke better contained this time struggled to carve out a real scoring chance, although an Anderson cross to the far post almost put Camara in. And with a few minutes of normal time left for a few seconds it looked like all being in vain as Portsmouth for once caught us napping and their guy was through on goal. He made it into the box but just as he was about to pull the trigger Gillesphey put in a match-saving tackle from the side. Final changes saw Campbell on for Kanu and Edun for Anderson, but the only moment of note in seven minutes of stoppage time was the final kick of the game, when from a Portsmouth long throw their guy hooked a shot just wide.

Our point was a reward for endeavour. We kept to the simple gameplan of getting the ball forward into their half by any means as early as possible and hope the front two, plus Anderson, might feed off the scraps, while quite simply defending much better than before, people being shut down quickly and bodies thrown into challenges. Flowing, intricate football it was not, but no question needs must and nobody’s complaining about that.

We know Tuesday night is going to be more of the same. Once again anything out of the game would be a bonus and thoughts can then turn to the final 11 games and the need to start winning what are on paper at least easier fixtures. We also know there is a turnaround going on, in terms of commitment to the cause. Whether or not we are a better team than we were at the end of November is debatable. What is beyond doubt is that the doldrums that team got into followed by the upheavals of the January window left us in a mess. Some of the games this calendar year, including the lame display at Reading, left us looking like a team which was not up for the task. To Jones’ credit he has applied an approach and system which has stopped the rot, whatever happens at Derby and wherever we find ourselves in the table come Wednesday morning. That’s something to build on as we enter the phase that really matters.