Bournemouth have Marc Pugh to thank after late show sees off Portsmouth
Portsmouth 1 - 2 AFC BournemouthHome team scorers
Gary Roberts 43
Away team scorers
Joshua King 71
Marc Pugh is mobbed by his Bournemouth teammates after hitting the winner against Portsmouth.
The agony of a narrow defeat to their south coast rivals in the FA Cup fourth round is not a patch on what Portsmouth’s fans have been through in the past eight years. Yet after dominating large portions of this game, Paul Cook’s side will be kicking themselves for throwing away the chance of reaching the fifth round for the first time since winning the Cup in 2008.
Two goals in the space of 11 minutes from substitute Marc Pugh and Josh King turned this match on its head after Gary Roberts had put the side 57 places below Bournemouth in front just before half-time. But following the turmoil of administration and their freefall down the divisions, at least the home supporters could depart feeling proud that their club can go toe-to-toe with the riches of the Premier League once more.
If it wasn’t for Southampton, these two clubs would probably be bigger rivals. Separated by 50 miles and united by a mutual dislike of their nearer neighbours, the Portsmouth supporters’ early taunts of “you’re just small town in Weymouth” were nothing more than good-natured.
Now building again slowly under fan ownership after years of decline since their Wembley triumph against Cardiff under Harry Redknapp, this was a big moment for the Fratton Park faithful. The old stadium was packed to the rafters to welcome a Cherries team featuring 10 changes from their draw against Sunderland last week, with only defender Adam Smith surviving.
That Howe could still include £8m January transfer window signing Lewis Grabban in his rejigged team was an illustration of the gulf that has grown between these sides. His Portsmouth counterpart Cook had no such luxury, largely sticking with the same side who lost 1-0 at home to Oxford last week to leave them seven points adrift of the automatic promotion places in League Two.
Yet on the evidence of much of the first half, the hosts looked more like the Premier League side. Mark McNulty, signed on loan from Sheffield United in November, was a particular thorn in the side of the now 38-year-old Sylvain Distin in the opening stages. He almost got on the end of an accurate cross from Kyle Bennett in the sixth minute, only to be flagged offside by the assistant, before forcing Adam Federici into an acrobatic save from the edge of the box.
Having weathered the early storm, Bournemouth began to create chances of their own and Glenn Murray saw his flicked header from a free-kick slide just past the post. Paraguay international Juan Iturbe, a loan signing from Serie A side Roma no less, must have thought he had scored after Portsmouth failed to clear a corner but somehow goalkeeper Ryan Fulton – himself on Liverpool’s books – diverted his powerful shot onto the post just before the half-hour mark.
The hosts regrouped and pushed the dangerous Bennett further forward. The plan worked. A superb move three minutes before the break saw the forward find space on the edge of the opposition penalty area and play in McNulty.
His pass totally deceived the Bournemouth defence and Roberts had to time take a touch before placing the ball past the stranded Federici.
Bournemouth must have been grateful for a half-time breather but their hosts once again seized the initiative on the resumption. First, left-back Enda Stevens went down under a challenge from Tommy Elphick but referee Mike Dean waved away Portsmouth’s shouts for a penalty. Right-back Ben Davies then tested Federici with a free kick from distance, before Roberts spurned a golden opportunity to double their advantage from Bennett’s brilliant through ball. Caught in two minds, he tried to take the ball around the Bournemouth keeper but with the angle too tight, could only cut it back across the face of goal.
Howe threw on former Portsmouth winger Matt Ritchie and Pugh in a bid to rouse his players, although it was another substitute in the form of Adam Webster who had the first impact. Having just replaced Christian Burgess, the giant centre-back made a crucial interception after Grabban’s cross looked destined to fall at the feet of a Bournemouth player. Their reprieve did not last long, however.
After a nice piece of footwork, Pugh was chopped down on the edge of the box by Davies and from the resulting free kick by Eunan O’Kane, King headed in.
Portsmouth continued to press forward in the hope of snatching the victory but Pugh’s winner, headed in at the back post after Fulton had done well to save from Grabban, was a cruel blow.
Guardian
