Blackburn 2 Pompey 0
Dave Brawn with the action as it happened at Ewood Park.
Pompey: James, Kaboul, Distin, Campbell, Hreidarsson, Johnson, Davis, Mullins, Hughes, Belhadj, Crouch. Subs: Begovic, Kanu, Nugent, Utaka, Basinas, Pennant, Cranie.
Blackburn: Robinson, Warnock, Samba, Nelson, Grella, Pedersen, Tugay, Andrews, Givet, Diouf, McCarthy. Subs: Khizanishvili, Mokoena, Villanueva, Treacy, Olsson, Bunn, Doran.
Pompey recalled Glen Johnson and Younes Kaboul to the side, with the suspended Noe Pamarot and winger Jermaine Pennant making way.
For Blackburn, Sam Allardyce replaced defender Andre Ooijer with Keith Andrews who scored after coming on in the 3-1 defeat at Man City
00: The rain is teeming it down at Ewood Park, should make for a slick surface ideal for the speedy duo of Johnson and Kaboul to push on down the right. Lively atmosphere from both sets of fans.
05: Big Kaboul thumped onto the deck by Benni McCarthy who is promptly booked by Mike Riley.
07: Booking for Johnson late challenge on Warnock. Feisty start to the contest.
09: It is hammering it down with rain. They need wellies not football boots out there. James bundles a cross from McCarthy behind at the near post for a corner. James does superbly to palm away the dangerous corner from Diouf.
12: Who said this would be physical? Rovers striker Samba crashes into Distin and gets a stern talking to from Riley. Kaboul is floored again, this time by Samba. This is red hot stuff in the rain.
23: Hughes takes a whack from Andrews who is perhaps fortunate to escape a card for a late lunge.
25: It is neck ache time with the ball up in the air so much. Only the vociferous Pompey fans led by the band and striker Peter Crouch are looking down on it.
26: Crouch great touch to Johnson, some measured build up play from Pompey. Came to nothing but the ball was on the ground. Got to note that down, not one for the purist this as yet. Diouf and Pedersen have swapped flanks as Rovers look for some joy.
29: Diouf guides the ball across goal and wide after a fine flick from McCarthy put Warnock away down the left.
31: GOAL Pedersen slides the ball home. Ball forward from Warnock and it was bundled down by Samba who stumbled in a challenge with James. Ball broke lose off James and Pedersen was there to poke it home. Distin had gone missing from Samba there.
38: Jamo has cause to be aggrieved with the goal after Samba crashed into him. You'd rather be hit by a double-decker bus. The keeper was stranded as Pedersen poked it home. Credit Big Sam Allardyce for the decision to move Pedersen out to the right and bring Diouf over to the left. The change sure paid dividends. Interestingly they have swapped back to their original roles now.
40: Brightening up here but not for Pompey.
42: Great last-ditch challenge from Kaboul as McCarthy threatened in behind.
43: Header narrowly wide from Hreidarsson after a free-kick hooked in by Davis. Big Hermann has won more headers than any other player in the Premier League this season. You can see why with that flexing of the neck muscles. Distin was in there going for it as well.
45 + 3: Andrews booked for a foul on Belhadj.
HT: Rovers ahead. Ugly contest. You wouldn't bet against a red card before the end. Direct football from Rovers has caused Pompey problems with McCarthy and Diouf feeding off the scraps from Samba's tussle with Campbell and Distin. The Pompey midfield woefully short of the quality required to support Crouch or get ball to the widemen Johnson and Belhadj. Let's hope for better from the Blues in the second half.
47: Pedersen throw Samba flick on. Warnock shot crashes off Kaboul and flies wide. Great chance for Rovers to make it two early in the second half. Pompey were all at sea.
52: Hermann wins another header. This time a vital one in the Pompey box as Rovers put the pressure on.
52: Not many players manhandle Sol Campbell in the box but Samba wrestled him off it there. Thankfull the referee blew his whistle for a foul before Samba's header from Diouf's corner found the net.
53: Kanu and Utaka are on again. This time Hughes and Belhadj make way. It looks like a midfield role for Kanu or is that just because he has hasn't made it all the way to the forward line yet. He's lumbering around between the midfield and strikers Utaka and Crouch.
57: GOAL. McCarthy sends James the wrong from the penalty spot after a hand ball from Hreidarsson in the area. Rovers 2-0 up.
62: Samba heads wide from Pedersen cross. Pompey just can't cope with Blackburn's power and Warnock and Pedersen are tearing the Blues apart down the flank.
64: Pennant on for Kaboul.Johnson to right back.
70: Great chance spurned by Pompey. Utaka fed Crouch who slid the ball across the box for Pennant to place a low shot just wide.
75: Kanu slides the ball through and Utaka sprints away from the Blackburn defence. The Nigerian rounds Robinson with ease but his effort is blocked on the line by Nelson. At last Pompey have some pace in attack but that was great covering from Nelson. Utaka could have been more decisive with the finish.
80: Jinking run from Pennant but cross too deep and out of play. Pompey look so much better since the change. Maybe Rovers have settled for what they have.
83: Utaka has his critics but at least he is mobile. He's won a free-kick with a sharp dart to the left. Wasted by Pompey though.
83: Sub McCarthy off and Mokoena on for Rovers. Looks like Sam is set fair at 2-0.
87: PENALTY MISS. What a shocker from John Utaka. Chips his penalty high over the cross bar. Justice done really as Andrews was harshly adjudged to have handled when Kanu drove the ball at him in the box. It did strike his hand but not deliberate.
FT: The threat of relegation remains for Pompey. Rovers celebrate almost securing their Premier League survival in what has turned out to be a glorious sunny afternoon - but a grey day for the Blues.
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
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Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
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