Super-sub Marquis aids Pompey to 3 points
3 min read
Kenny Jackett makes 3 changes from Pompey’s last League 1 outing. Steve Seddon comes in at left-back after impressing in the FA Cup tie at Fleetwood. He replaces now-departed Anton Walkes.
Debutant loanee Cameron McGeehan is given the chance in the starting lineup ahead of Ben Close, and Cannon preferred at number 10 over Evans.
In other team news, Pompey fan-favourite Jack Whatmough is back on the bench after almost a year on the sidelines with injury.
Alex Bass starts his second consecutive EFL League 1 game after MacGillivray is dropped to the bench once again.
Pompey started the game well and dictated the tempo right from the kick-off. Academy keeper Bass was playing a key role by distributing the ball well to Harrison for knock-downs.
Pompey’s first chance came when Curtis nicked the ball off Shane McLoughlin and powered down left flank only to square it to Barnsley loanee McGeehan, who took a shot just wide of Trott’s goal.
The 20th minute is where Portsmouth’s quality came to fruition when Sean Raggett dispossessed the Wimbledon attack and played a through-ball for Cannon on the counter. The Pompey midfielder spotted Marcus Harness open on the edge of the box, and the young winger slotted the ball past Trott to give Pompey the lead.
Just 10 minutes later Raggett again found himself in possession and this time pinged a long ball over to Harrison who knocked it down into the path of Marcus Harness. The goalscorer tried his luck for the second time but his shot sailed just over the bar.
The second half started just as well as the first. Ellis Harrison kept putting pressure on Trott which forced the Wombles keeper to play the ball long and eventually end up dispossessed.
In the 62nd minute however, Wimbledon scored the equaliser against the run of play. Pinnock ran with the ball on the left side and crossed it into the box where Sean Raggett was unable to clear. The ball fell straight into the path of Joe Pigott for a close-range tap-in.
Just 10 minutes after the equaliser, John Marquis was brought on to replace Andy Cannon. The summer signing only needed 8 minutes on the pitch to become the hero of the afternoon when Curtis received the ball on the left flank. The Irishman whipped in a precise cross into the box where Marquis was waiting unmarked to head home the winner.
Scott Wagstaff was brought on in the 71st minute however, what he didn’t know was that he would be serving one of the shortest displays of the season. The English midfielder was given a yellow card for a foul on Ronan Curtis just 3 minutes after coming on. His afternoon started late and finished early when he was given his marching orders with just 5 minutes left to play for another foul on the Irishman.
Portsmouth deliver another win at Fratton Park and continue their unbeaten home record, being the only team in EFL League 1 to do so this season.
McGeehan’s debut showed real class and refreshing creativity from the midfielder, with great ability to remain calm in possession and effectively dispatching the ball going forward.
My Man Of The Match award goes to Marcus Harness for showing great control of the ball in the attacking half, and his calm finish to open the scoring.
