PORTSMOUTH 0-1 CHELSEA

Kissing the badge?? Hmmmm

It was a horrible night at Fratton Park – and I don’t just mean the weather – but with a little luck and some poor finishing from Pompey, we clawed our way to another 3 points under Guus Hiddink.

On a night where wind and rain dictated the play a lot more than either side did on a slippery pitch, it could easily have finished a draw without flattering the home side who arguably had the better chances despite us dominating the play.

To give Pompey their dues, they weren’t sitting back looking for a draw as they continued their fight against potential relegation. However, with Chelsea starting to take control as the first half wore on, it looked as if a draw would be the best they could get out of it.

We definitely should have taken the lead in the first half, not least of all when Ashley Cole flashed the ball across the face of goal with Didier Drogba needing to get no more than a toe to it – and failing. Not that he was the only one who failed to make our dominance count as Lampard, Malouda, Ballack and Kalou had all been unable to convert their efforts into goals.

We started the second half sloppily, with my nerves starting to fray and my eyes getting sorer as the game went on. Belletti and Quaresma came on for Mikel and a woeful Kalou to give David James a little more to do although I still wasn’t convinced we’d get more than a point form the game by this stage. Not that James was the only keeper with a job to do, because Petr Cech was certainly called on to earn his crust a couple of times and fortunately, proved himself up to he task.

Anyway, just when I thought the game would do away with any need for a sedative before bedtime, up pops our least likely scorer this season to pounce on a Jose Bosingwa cross and tuck it into the net from 12 yards out. Naturally, having finally got round to scoring only his second Premier League goal of the season, it wasn’t too long before we saw Didier Drogba limping up and down the pitch.

Nevermind.

1-0, 3 points, job done!

TEAMS

PORTSMOUTH: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Pennant, Mullins, Davis, Kranjcar, Crouch, Nugent. Subs: Begovic, Kanu, Kaboul, Pamarot, Utaka, Basinas, Belhadj.

CHELSEA: Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Ashley Cole, Mikel, Ballack, Lampard, Kalou, Drogba, Malouda. Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Di Santo, Quaresma, Ferreira, Belletti, Mancienne.

Filed under: Match report, Rants