Pompey 1 Plymouth 1: Point edges Blues nearer the prize
Friday, 14th Apr 2017 17:53 by pompey-fans.com staff

Pompey edged closer to promotion with a fine performance and a 1-1 draw with Plymouth in front of Fratton Park's biggest crown of the season.

They recovered from the shock of conceding Jake Jervis's early header to level early in the second half through a poacher's finish by Gary Roberts.

Before and to a greater extent after the equaliser, Pompey had much the better of the possession - but they couldn't turn it into a winning goal.

Sub Conor Chaplin went closest to grabbing the glory with a late header that went just the wrong side of the post. Plymouth were ready to celebrate clinching promotion at one point with Luton losing, but the Hatters came back to claim a point that postpones the inevitable.

And promotion is surely a certainty for the Blues as well now - they need just five points from their last four to make sure of it, and if they were to win at Notts County and Luton were to fail to win at Mansfield, the party would get started.

With an unchanged Blues side playing against the backdrop of a bristling atmosphere, Pompey started well enough with Carl Baker and Gareth Evans both trying their luck.

But Plymouth struck first when Gary Sawyer got away down the left and sent over a high, hanging cross that ex-Pompey man Jervis met with a towering header that had too much for David Forde.

Pompey bossed the territory from that point on with Plymouth content to defend and with keeper Luke McCormick taking his time over each goal kick.

Roberts almost nipped in when McCormick failed to hold a Kal Naismith shot and the Scot wasn't far off the target with a free-kick just before the interval - while Plymouth were restricted to breaks that didn't cause Forde too much worry at the other end.

Pompey could be content enough with their first-half possession but perhaps knew they needed to work the keeper more after the break, and they did just that as Kyle Bennett and Naismith both fired in efforts at goal.

Twelves minutes into the second half it was 1-1 as a neat move down the left ended with Roberts driving a low ball into the six-yard box where Roberts seized on hesitation between McCormick and one of his defenders. The roof was raised.

Pompey again had the lion's share of the possession in the second half and created a succession of half-chances though little that was clear-cut.

Chaplin and Jamal Lowe came on and it was Chaplin who had a golden chance to win it at the end when Naismith's cross was just right for him - but his firm header was wide.

A couple of free-kicks in dangerous also failed to bring a sweet end to the afternoon for Pompey but they were happy enough with a point - especially when news that Luton and Stevenage had both failed to win left them needing just those five points, at the most, to seal the deal.

Now the 4,000 strong Blue Army head to Meadow Lane on Monday hoping to take another big step - and possibly even a decisive one - towards the promotion prize.

Pompey: Forde; Evans, Burgess, Clarke, Stevens; Rose, M.Doyle; Baker (Lowe 78), Roberts (Chaplin 67), Bennett; Naismith. Subs not used: O’Brien, Talbot, Whatmough, Linganzi, Kabamba

Referee: Christopher Sarginson

Attendance: 18,625 (2,644 away fans)