Portsmouth said an emotional goodbye to League One, five years after winning the FA Cup and playing top flight football – but will spend (at least) next season in League Two and will visit our area again against Chesterfield and possibly Rotherham United if they fail to win what is sure promotion.
It was a game of celebration where a full capacity crowd turned out in support of the recent takeover by the Supporters Trust which now can only be a good thing after years of financial woe and uncertain future.
On the field the hosts spirited a desire to win despite already knowing that anymore victories claimed won’t stop from relegation but managed to score three goals in the space of eleven minutes against a side battling promotion; there dire display was summoned up by defender Danny Higginbotham; “We didn’t play to our potential and we have to accept full responsibility for that as a team,” He said. “We weren’t good enough, plain and simple. Nobody goes into a game looking to deliberately take their foot off the gas but they were the better team and we have to accept that.
“I’ve always been firmly of the belief that there are no excuses as a footballer. You can’t hide behind this reason for that reason. You’ve got to confront things head on. They deserved to win and we weren’t good enough. It was as simple as that.”
The defeat means that United are guaranteed a play-off place but can no long catch an automatic position which are currently held by Bournemouth and Doncaster Rovers but this could all change come Saturday afternoon.
After a slow start from both sides the game finally got going when Shaun Cooper (21 minutes) scored after Jed Wallace and Patrick Agyemang combined to cross for Cooper to finish.
Moments later a second goal came there way as Wallace soon exposed the Blades weak spot down the right before producing a low cross for veteran David Connolly (24) to stab home at the near post; 2-0 to the hosts.
On 32 minutes Wallace, who had been involved in the previous two goals took the limelight for himself when ‘schoolboy defending on United’s part allowed a simple cross to be hit home by the unmarked attacker.
It clearly wasn’t to be Morgan’s day when Chris Porter, prior to the half-time whistle saw his headed goal disallowed for offside. Morgan made changes at half-time but to no avail; Dave Kitson, formerly with Portsmouth was replaced by Barry Robson.
The second half was a foregone conclusion and a chance for Pompey to pass around the ball, but they had further efforts to enhance their lead; Wallace firing wide from Connolly’s pass and at the other end United saw a few chances go their way following corners but didn’t end in a positive result.
Portsmouth where playing in a positive strides and played like Champions rather than relegation fodder that the Fratton Faifthful have become a custom to this season. When the final whistle blew it was met by a large cheer from the home crowd but disagreement by the travelling support.