The Imps needed a big second half, playing ten men and in good form themselves. Almost immediately, it was the Imps in the ascendency, Scully curling an effort high and wide after good possession. City were dominating the ball against two solid banks of four, and when Tom Hopper did finally get into the area on the ball on 53 minutes, his effort was crowded out.
Pompey’s only real threat came from an odd foray forward, and one moment where Alex Palmer dwelled a little too long on the ball. With Curtis closing down, Palmer shifted and stabbed the ball away with his weaker foot, giving Imps’ fans a reminder that it wasn’t all going to be one way.
The Imps kept driving forward, Grant had a free-kick from the edge of the area charged down by the wall. The rebound was worked to Scully, who drove a low cross into the area. Grant had made the run into the box, but his deft touch was read by MacGillivray, who was having a strong game in the sticks.
The referee was playing centre stage in the eyes of the home side, with handball shouts at one point before they thought they should have had a free kick on 67 minutes. They hesitated and the Imps used that to sweep forward, with Scully once again curling an effort wide. The youngster was certainly busy all evening, but he just couldn’t find the end product.
Pompey didn’t properly clear their lines and just a minute later, McGrandles won the ball in the middle of the park. He fed in Edun, who found some space to deliver another dangerous cross, this time MacGillivray saving at the feet of Hopper.
On 70 minutes both teams made a change, with John Marquis coming off the pitch, it signalled the first appearance for him against City in which he didn’t score. Scully, lively but not able to find a finish, came off for Morgan Rogers.
Rogers was immediately involved in the action, touching the ball to McGrandles in the box, who rasped an effort at goal. MacGillivray made yet another save, this time the ball ended up hacked away for a corner. Two minutes later, Rogers was involved again, sprinting into the area where he looked to be fouled as he burst past a defender. The referee was having none of it, perhaps it would have been a harsh call to make.
Still City looked to break the deadlock, with the home side almost resigned to fighting for a draw. They dropped deeper and deeper, so deep that Grant was able to amble forward like an old lady browsing an aisle at the supermarket, with walls of blue shirts in front of him on 74 minutes. He eventually found his way to the edge of the area, where a vicious left-footed strike went just wide.
Finally, on 79 minutes, City got the deserved breakthrough. TJ Eyoma, excellent once again on the right, delivered another low cross into the area. It evaded everyone but found McGrandles at the back post who recycled the ball and found Rogers. His first-time strike finally rippled the net, causing my dog to jump out of his skin as I went utterly ballistic.
The goal completely changed the complexion of the game, with Pompey suddenly looking like a proper prospect again. Just two minutes later a deep corner saw Ronan Curtis beat Palmer with a header, only for the ball to be scooped off the line by McGrandles, my Man of the Match. The same Pompey player then curled a free-kick over the bar from 22-yards out, when he should have worked the keeper.
City looked to run the clock down with a couple of changes, the first of which saw Edun replaced by Melbourne, but Pompey rallied. A long free-kick saw Palmer come to claim the ball, only for Raggett to get there first and head the ball up into the air. A deft flick might have brought a goal, but Palmer was able to gather.
Harry Anderson came on for Brennan Johnson, and yet still Pompey showed belief. Sub Ellis Harrison seemed to have got away from McGrandles, but the Scot hauled him down for a free kick in exactly the same place as the one Curtis missed. This time, Jacobs struck the wall and saw the ball bounce out for a corner.
It was a frenetic and fast-paced final few minutes, with Portsmouth looking like creating every time they went forward, unlike the first 80 minutes. Luckily for City, they didn’t, and eventually, the referee brought proceedings to a close.
What more is there to say? City beat Portsmouth at Fratton Park for the first time since I was born, Hull lose at Accrington and drop to second, whilst Peterborough cannot break down Bristol rovers and also lose ground. The other big winners were Doncaster, who come to Sincil Bank this weekend knowing they’re facing one of the division’s in-form sides. Would you bet against us?
I’m going to write more tomorrow, but right now I fear I may drift into inflated hyperbole if I carry on. I have this monologue going around in my head, like the Norwegian commentator from the 80s who went on about Thatcher, but it goes ‘Harry Redknapp, Kenny Jackett, James Callaghan, Amanda Holden, your boys took one hell of a beating, etc etc’. It is at that point I know to draw breath, sleep on it and bring you balanced analysis tomorrow, not the insane rambling of a man drunk of the sweet nectar of his once-abysmal football team reaching heights he hasn’t experienced in 35-odd years of watching.
Sweet dreams City fans.
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