Portsmouth 1-1 Newcastle United |
|
Date:
Saturday 19th March 2005
Kick Off: 3.00pm BST
Venue: Fratton Park
Att: 20,165
Ref: Matt Messias (North Yorkshire)
Comp: Premiership |
| Match Preview
In Association With Toon
Ale |
|
By Gosport Toon
On a sun bathed South Coast afternoon with the pitch looking immaculate
and the Toon on an 8 game winning run, the scene was set for the lads
to make one last big effort at the end of a hectic period of grueling
matches to begin a late surge up the table towards a European place.
Pompey have been on a bad run of late culminating in them edging perilously
close to the relegation zone and a potentially massive South Coast
relegation 6-pointer against neighbours Southampton in late April.
The pressure was on the home team to take at least a point from the
game and they decided to rest their recently acquired Greek goalkeeper
Chalkias in favour of the young Jamie Ashdown. They also played Linvoy
Primus alongside De Zeeuw and Stefanovic, a ploy they don't often
adopt as they are the 3 main centre backs at the Club. However they
probably felt that they needed the extra height at the back to counter
the aerial threat of Shearer, O'Brien and Boumsong.
Souness chose to continue with Kieron Dyer in an advanced role in
the hope that his recent goal scoring exploits would continue and
that he could provide pace up front that has been missing since Bellamy's
demise.
Bowyer, Butt and the returning Amdy Faye would provide the solidity
in midfield to ensure we were once again difficult to breakdown, along
with the reliable Hughes at left back this would potentially allow
Robert the freedom to cause havoc in the Pompey defence and create
the openings Shearer thrives on.
In the opposition camp there were three players with an extra incentive
to play well, Steve Stone the Geordie exile with a knack for scoring
against Newcastle, Lua Lua the ex-Toon player much reviled by large
sections of the Toon Army and Yakubu the striker linked with the Toon
for a number of months now.
The game got underway and it quickly became obvious neither team were
in the mood for losing as players were brought down from all angles
with the referee not being slow to use his whistle and flash the yellow
card.
Defences were on top and the midfield area was very competitive with
few goal opportunities created and the ones that were resulted in
poor efforts, mainly dragged wide in the forwards haste to score the
all important opening goal. Nobody was guiltier of this than Laurent
Robert whose long range shooting is legendary, but for every wonder
goal one has to be disappointed by a succession of shots and crosses
that wouldn't be out of place in the local Parks League.
Despite the almost constant and extremely vocal support of the Pompey
faithful it was the Toon who came closest to taking the lead through
a most unexpected source, a Laurent Robert header, with the Frenchman
only being denied by an excellent reflex save from the recalled Ashdown.
If only Pompey had retained faith in their recent Greek acquisition...
It wasn't long however before we struck the first blow with the goal
coming from the second most unexpected source, i.e. Kieron Dyer's
head. And a good goal it was too from our newest striker, justifying
his manager's faith in him delivering the goods on a regular basis
in an advanced role.
As with many of our leads this season it was short lived and it came
as no surprise when it resulted from a combination involving Lua Lua
and Steve Stone. From my position in the crowd it looked like Boumsong
was fouled in the build up to the goal making the equaliser doubly
disappointing.
It was so close to the half time interval that the game barely had
time to get going again before the referee blew up to end the half.
As the mist rolled in off the Solent, the second half passed without
too many opportunities at either end with both defences managing to
keep goal scoring opportunities to a minimum.
Souness's substitutions of Faye, Butt and Robert with Milner, Jenas
and Kluivert respectively were cautious but at the same time could
have provided the spark needed to nick a late winner. However Kluivert's
five minutes or so on the pitch didn't really give him a chance to
produce anything.
Of the two Pompey strikers the one we possibly want to replace Shearer
was outshone by the player we let go for a fraction of the cost. It
is a while since Yakubu put in a top class performance and on this
evidence he isn't the answer to our forthcoming goal scoring problem.
So it's another chance to push into the top half of the table missed
and yet another lead lost, probably more than any other Premier League
side.
On the plus side that is just one defeat in the last 17 matches and
18 matches since we conceded more than one goal in a game. And it's
a point taken on a ground that has seen Manchester United, Boro and
Spurs leave empty handed, with Charlton, Liverpool and Bolton still
to visit Fratton Park.
So Pompey still have the opportunity to assist us in our quest for
a top 7 position in the League, "Play Up Pompey!" as they
say in these parts.
The lads now get a, relative, couple of weeks break before they embark
upon 9 games in the month of April which could set us up for the biggest
month of football seen for many a year on Tyneside.
On the evidence of this performance we may lack the quality to take
the 2 Cups and secure an acceptable League position, but stranger
things have happened at sea.
More...
Toon Player Ratings Vs Portsmouth
| Portsmouth |
Newcastle
United |
Match
Facts & Stats
Half-Time: 1-1
Full-Time: 1-1
Yellow Cards: 9
Red Cards: 0
Goalscorers: Stone (45)
Yellow Cards: Skopelitis (8), De Zeeuw (29), Primus
(39), Yakubu (41), Lua Lua (48),
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 3
Hughes (Berger 81), Fuller (Yakubu 85), O'Neil (Stone
86)
Injuries: N/A
Goalscorers: Dyer (43)
Yellow Cards: Carr (42), Bowyer (54), O'Brien (72),
Butt (82)
Red Cards: 0
Substitutions: 3
Jenas (Faye 68), Milner (Robert 76), Kluivert (Butt 87)
Injuries: None to report of. |
| Ashdown |
Given |
| Cisse |
Carr |
| De Zeeuw |
Boumsong |
| Primus |
O'Brien |
| Stefanovic |
Hughes |
| Taylor |
Bowyer |
| Stone |
Faye |
| Skopelitis |
Butt |
| Berger |
Robert |
| Yakubu |
Shearer |
| Lua Lua |
Dyer |
| Substitutes
Bench |
| Chalkias |
Harper |
| Hughes |
Taylor |
| O'Neil |
Jenas |
|
Fuller |
Milner |
| Kamara |
Kluivert |
| Possession, Shots, Corners,
Fouls & Saves |
| Portsmouth |
The
Game |
Newcastle |
| 42% |
Possession |
58% |
| 6 |
Shots
(on target) |
6 |
| 7 |
Shots (off target) |
5 |
| 4 |
Corners |
3 |
| 15 |
Fouls |
19 |
| 3 |
Saves |
3 |
O'Brien's 30th appearance of the season. Dyer's 30th appearance of
the season and 5th goal. Milner's 30th appearance of the season. Faye's
10th game since joining from Portsmouth - he has yet to feature in
a losing United side. It's now 7 games without an away win in the
League. The point extends our run to 1 defeat in 17 but ends an 8
game winning streak. We haven't let in more than 1 goal in 18 matches
now. That's now 12 matches in which we have failed to win having took
the lead. Robert's 150th start for Newcastle. Bowyer's 50th Premiership
game for United.
| How The Goals Were
Scored |
Newcastle Goal 43 Minutes: Kieron Dyer
Lee Bowyer made his way down the right and sent in a cross which wasn't
cleared, leaving Dyer to nod the ball home at the near post with the
keeper stranded.
Portsmouth Goal 45 Minutes: Steve Stone
Yakubu tangled with Boumsong on the half way line, came away with
the ball, fed Lua Lua who ran to the byeline and pulled the ball back
where Stone just got a foot to it.
| Match Reaction From
Graeme Souness |
Souness said:
"I'm not unhappy with getting a 1-1 here because Portsmouth are
fighting for their lives.
"If we had gone in at half-time one-up I believe we would have
won.
"But a foul on Jean-Alain Boumsong in the build-up to Portsmouth's
goal wasn't seen and the TV proved the goal was offside.
"We had other chances to score but I don't need to moan about
Lady Luck. We've had plenty of that over the last nine matches but
there is still time to make fifth or sixth spot.
"There are plenty of points to play for.
"Portsmouth showed their determination to stay in this league.
I think the referee is a good one but that today was an exceptionally
poor day for him.
"Don't ask me any more about him, though. I'm fed up with paying
fines."
| Match Reaction
From Joe Jordan |
Jordan said:
"It is nice to get points again and we'll get them whether by
winning or drawing now.
Steve Stone has so much enthusiasm it is something money just can't
buy. Players can learn from people like Steve who has been through
the mill.
"Sometimes we have have to rein him in a bit but his example
can rub off on other players. It was nice for him to get a goal against
a Geordie team. He seems to save them up for them, but it is all-round
play that gives the lead.
"The team got great satisfaction from the way they played today.
We've had a hard time on the road the last few weeks and it was nice
to be back at home.
"We took a point against a team in good form and it was good
for Lua Lua that he could show people who used to support him at Newcastle
what he can still do." |
 |
Toon
Shirts |
|
Sponsors |
|
|
