Sunderland 1-4 Portsmouth - Report

Laurent Robert's axing from the side was the early talk of the visiting section at the Stadium of Light.

As reported here prior to kick off, Robert allegedly refused to be a substitute and because Salif Diao had failed a fitness test it left us with just four players on the bench.

We got off to the worst possible start as we fell behind after only four minutes. Justin Hoyt's shot was well saved by Jamie Ashdown, but with Andy Gray leaping to head in the rebound, Brian Priske clearly used his hand to stop the ball. Referee Mark Halsey calmly pointed to the spot and Dean Whitehead tucked the ball into the corner despite Ashdown going the right way.

Sunderland could have doubled their lead on 14 minutes. Priske's headed clearance fell to Whitehead outside the area, but his audacious volley flew just wide.

Sunderland almost gifted a bizarre equaliser on 17 minutes. Kelvin Davies slipped just as Alan Stubbs chose a headed back-pass, but the keeper managed to get back on his feet in time to grab the ballot spare his blushes.

A poor pass from Hoyt let in Gary O'Neil on 21 minutes but his shot was straight at Davies.

Despite failing to create much in the first half, we leveled just three minutes after the restart. Gregory Vignal's deep cross from the left was flicked on by Matt Taylor and Zvonimir Vukic fired the ball into the bottom corner, his first goal for the club.

After that explosive start the match began to settle down, but then on 59 minutes another calamitous mix-up between Davies and Stubbs saw Pompey go ahead. Stubbs' attempted clearance from Dario Silva's header went straight up in the air and with both goalkeeper and defender going for the same ball; it bounced off Stubbs and fell nicely to Taylor who turned and shot into an unguarded net.

Then we extended the lead eight minutes later through a stunning 40 yard strike from Taylor. With Silva down injured, Taylor could have put the ball out so his team-mate could receive treatment but seeing the hapless Davies off his line he launched a dipping effort which left the keeper stranded and sent the visiting fans delirious. Ironically it resembled a wonder goal scored by Laurent Robert a couple of seasons ago for Newcastle United.

Sunderland were looking dispirited. On 74 minutes our lead was increased as Matthew Taylor put in a perfect cross from the right for Silva to head home.

What started off as a miserable day ended up in joy. Who would be a football fan, especially a Pompey one, on days like this!

wanc.co.uk's Pompey Man of the Match: Matthew Taylor

Robert refuses place on the bench

Pompey winger Laurent Robert has refused to be on the bench for today's game against Sunderland.

Robert was initially named on bench but refused to take part in today's game.

Salif Diao who was going to replace him failed a late fitness test.

Pompey will now only have four substitutes.

Sunderland v Portsmouth - Team News

The Portsmouth team for todays game away at Sunderland is:

Ashdown
Priske - Primus - Stefanovic
Griffin - Hughes - Vignal
O'Neil - Vukic - Taylor
Silva

Subs: Westerveld, Viafara, Todorov, Mbesuma

and the Sunderland team is:

Davis
Nosworthy - Stubbs - Caldwell - Hoyte
Lawerence - Whitehead - Miller - Gray
Welsh - Elliott

Subs: Murphy, Stead, Woods, Robinson, Alnwich

Referee: Mark Halsey

Play up Pompey!

Portsmouth 1-2 Charlton - Report

The Portsmouth team for yesterdays game was:

Ashdown
Priske - O'Brien - Stefanovic - Vignal
O'Neil - Viafara - Vukic - Taylor - Robert
Silva

Subs: Westerveld, Griffin, Hughes, Mbesuma, Todorov

and the Charlton team was:

Andersen
Young - Perry - Hreidarsson - Spector
Rommedahl - Smertin - Murphy - Kishishev
Ambros - Bent

Subs: Kiely, Hughes, Bothroyd, Johansson, El Karkouri

Referee: Howard Webb

Charlton came from behind to maintain their unbeaten away record and leave Portsmouth still looking for a first home Premiership win.

Dario Silva gave Pompey an early lead, firing a ferocious shot across Stephan Andersen for his first Pompey goal.

Darren Ambrose rounded off a slick move to score his first goal for Charlton to draw level.

Danny Murphy slid a pass through for Dennis Rommedahl to score the winner and take Charlton into second place.

Pompey were fired-up from the start and immediately forced Charlton on to the back foot.

Silva wriggled free in the opening minutes, only for his control to let him down, while John Viafara glanced a header just wide from a corner.

Charlton keeper Stephan Andersen did well to hold on to Gary O'Neil's stinging drive with Silva lurking to pounce on any spillage.

As Pompey piled on the pressure, Radostin Kishishev and Hermann Hreidarsson were both booked in the space of two minutes.

Pompey's early pressure told as Silva swept them into the lead. The Uruguayan gave chase to a long ball and from the tightest of angles lashed a powerful shot across Andersen for his first Premiership goal.

Charlton cleared their heads as Pompey's early fire burned itself out and it required two good saves from Ashdown to keep them ahead.

He first spread himself to block as Ambrose picked his way past weak challenges from Dejan Stefanovic and Brian Priske and Ashdown then dropped sharply on the nasty dipping shot.

With Silva ploughing the loneliest of furrows up front Pompey's ploy was to get midfielders in support, but it surrendered the initiative and threatened to allow Charlton back into the game.

Charlton attempted to use the pace of Rommedahl to stretch Portsmouth down the flanks but Stefanovic and Andy O'Brien were commanding when crosses came in and Ashdown was rarely troubled.

Zvonimir Vucik relieved the pressure and almost doubled Pompey's lead when he skillfully picked his way past a couple of challenges but Andersen saved his shot at the foot of the post.

Charlton kept their passing game going and their patience was rewarded when Murphy rounded off an intricate move by sliding a pass through for Ambrose to slip his shot under the advancing Ambrose.

With Pompey reeling, Ambrose planted an unmarked header over the top seconds later from Darren Bent's cross.

Charlton began to dominate and it was no surprise when they took the lead with another fine strike.

Vukic was caught in possession and Murphy was again the provider, sliding a ball through for Rommedahl to lash an emphatic finish across Ashdown.

Vukic had a chance to redeem himself but volleyed over from eight yards.

Report: bbc.co.uk/sport

wanc.co.uk's Pompey Man of the Match: Dario Silva

Stadium Update - Work to start next month

BBC Radio Solent has an interview with Portsmouth Chief Executive Peter Storrie.

They tell us that demolition work is almost complete and further contractors are set to move in next month to step up the work.

He says that things are still on track!

Peter Storrie said "We're just saying to fans be patient, there's a lot of work to be done to get there, but when they see it start to happen, it will happen very quickly."

"The completed stadium is still on line to be May 2007"

"It could even be a little earlier than that"

Peter Storrie believes that "part of the stand could be ready for the end of next season"!

Bobby Robson tipped to join Pompey

Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin has declared he would be prepared to work with Sir Bobby Robson if the former England manager is appointed the club's director of football.

Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric has spoken of Robson in glowing terms and a decision on the vacant post is expected next month.

Perrin will also have a say in who is given the role and he said: "I have a lot of respect for Bobby Robson because he is a big name in English football.

"I have talked to the chairman about the position and we have decided to take our time to decide.

"We will think about this and make a decision later, perhaps when we have the next international break in November."

Middlesbrough 1-1 Portsmouth - Report

Aiyegbeni Yakubu came back to haunt us after Middlesbrough earned a 1-1 draw in the late Saturday kick-off.

The Nigerian's second half header cancelled out Gary O'Neil's finely-taken opener just after half time, as both sides shared the points in the North East.

On a calm evening at The Riverside Stadium, there were few chances in a cagey opening 45 minutes.

It was the home side that had more endeavour to get forward, with Yakubu failing to make the most of a George Boateng cross with his strike.

Massimo Maccarone should have tested goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown with an overhead kick after we failed to deal with a Fabio Rochemback corner.

Yakubu then threatened with another chance but the ball failed to settle for him in front of the goal, while Rochemback had an effort go over the bar from the Nigerian's lay-off moments later.

We provided little in terms of an attacking threat, with Laurent Robert sailing a strike over the bar, while Zvonimir Vukic forced an easy save from Boro goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.

Our bast goalscoring chance came just before the break.

Robert sent Andy Griffin down the right flank and his early cross nearly found Dario Silva at the far post but the Uruguayan failed to connect with the ball, as both sides went into half time goalless.

The second half proved far more entertaining, as we stunned the Riverside crowd with an opening goal a minute after the restart.

Substitute Svetoslav Todorov's byline cross from the right found Vukic, whose mis-hit shot fell to O'Neil and he made no mistake from close range to give us the lead.

In typical Pompey fashion, the advantage lasted just eight minutes.

Rochemback's corner from the left found an unmarked Yakubu at the far post and the Nigerian headed home with relative ease for 1-1.

The goal got the home side into the match again and a break forward saw substitute Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink set up Gaizka Mendieta on the edge of our box but the Spaniard's poor strike flew high and wide.

Boro kept pressing and Mark Viduka forced a save from Ashdown with a turn and shot, while Yakubu failed to hit the target with an excellent chance on the break.

Hasselbaink curled an effort at Ashdown moments later, while Colombian John Viafara was woeful with a long-range strike at the other end.

Dutchman Boateng then went ever so close with a low strike in the dying stages but both clubs had to settle for a draw, despite a better display all round in the second half.

wanc.co.uk's Pompey Man of the Match: Gary O'Neil

Middlesbrough v Portsmouth - Team News

The Portsmouth team for todays game away at Middlesbrough is:

Ashdown
Priske - O'Brien - Stefanovic
Griffin - Viafara - Taylor
O'Neil - Vukic - Robert
Silva

Subs: Westerveld, Vignal, Todorov, Skopelitis, Songo'o

and the Middlesbrough team is:

Schwarzer
Parnaby - Riggott - Southgate - Pogatetz
Queudrue - Doriva - Boateng - Rochemback
Maccarone - Yakubu

Subs: Knight, Bates, Mendieta, Hasselbaink, Viduka

Referee: Chris Foy

Play up Pompey!

Velimir Zajec quits Pompey

Director of football Velimir Zajec has resigned from Portsmouth for personal reasons.

Zajec joined the Fratton Park club last year and was caretaker manager between November 2004 and April 2005 after the resignation of Harry Redknapp.

The role for the former Panathinaikos manager was to scout for players and to improve the infrastructure at Pompey but Redknapp quit soon after his arrival.

Zajec told the club's official website: "These are very personal reasons and I wish them to remain that way.

"Portsmouth is a special club and I wish them every success for the future."

Pompey chairman Milan Mandaric said: "It is always difficult to lose a good person and I would like to wish him every success and happiness in the future."

Taken from TEAMtalk.com

Here are some more quotes from Milan

"It is not a shock, unfortunately he has been thinking about this for the last couple of months,"

"We are sorry to lose him, but it is personal reasons and we have to accept that. We are losing a good man.

"The main reason I brought him was because we needed stability, not a football manager but an administrator. He was the perfect man for that, but unfortunately it did not work. We have to look at how we replace him and how we move the club forward.

"There is no sense of urgency. The sense of urgency is to bring some points to the table. That is where we need to concentrate and right now I would like to give all my urgency and effort to support (manager) Alain (Perrin) and see what we can do. As far as replacing Velimir, we will think about that later."

Portsmouth 0-0 Newcastle United - Report

The Portsmouth team for yesterdays game was:

Ashdown
Priske - O'Brien - Stefanovic
Griffin - Diao - Vignal
O'Neil - Vukic - Taylor
Silva

Subs: Westerveld, Karadas, Hughes, Skopelitis, Songo'o

and the Newcastle United team was:

Given
Carr - Taylor - Boumsong - Babayaro
Bowyer - Parker - Clark - N'Zogbia
Shearer - Ameobi

Subs: Harper, Chopra, Brittain, Elliott, Faye

Referee: Steve Bennett

It always seems to happen to us!

In a game of excitement that was not reflected by the 0-0 scoreline, it took an outstanding display from Newcastle keeper Shay Given to deny us a first home win of the season.

We totally dominated the game of football and should have finished with us winning by two or three clear goals. To prove this point, our goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown did not have one save of note to make all game.

Newcastle struggled without the injured Michael Owen and a Charles N'Zogbia cross-shot was as close as they came all game.

Given came to his side's rescue after the break with two wonderful saves from Matthew Taylor. Being right behind the goal, I could truly appreciate how good these saves were.

Our enterprising display, if not the result, was justification for chairman Milan Mandaric's programme notes in which he gave Perrin his full support.

I was surprised to see us line up with an unorthodox 3-3-3-1 formation, but this inspired move paid off for Perrin. We looked solid in defence and creative in attack. All we were missing was a Yakubu upfront to finish these chances off.

Deploying three banks of three with Uruguayan Silva up front in the absence of illness victim Lomana LuaLua, made sure we gave Newcastle a torrid time. Gary O'Neil, Zvonomir Vukic and Matthew Taylor all caused the Newcastle defence problems throughout the game. If only we had spent some money in the summer on a decent striker, we would be winning games like this!

Near the end, we all thought referee Steve Bennett should have had given us a penalty. Instead he booked Vukic for diving under Given's challenge (and after seeing this later on TV, I think the referee got it right)

In the end both teams had to settle for a point.

Hopefully our luck in front of goal will change in our next match away at Middlesbrough.

wanc.co.uk's Pompey Man of the Match: Gary O'Neil