Gaffer: Pompey could have won by six or seven

Oli Hawkins was in inspired form for Pompey. Picture: Joe Pepler

So that’s Pompey’s last game of 2017 then.

Yes – and for the opening 40 minutes it was a dire match! Then three goals lit it up.

We could have won by six or seven goals had it not been for their keeper and the crossbar as we put in an excellent second-half display.

I had wanted Oli Hawkins to start and Kenny Jackett took my advice!

It’s great to see different people on the scoresheet other than Brett Pitman.

And Hawkins is a better centre-forward than he is a defender.

And an awful injury to Danny Rose, sadly.

Danny had proven the critics – and probably the management – wrong, he has been so consistent and runs that midfield.

We need that sort of player and it is a big shame for us and for him to be injured, so hopefully he will get back to full fitness soon.

That referee, or ‘Mr Drop Ball’ as we have now named him, had a shocker and nearly lost control of the match first half.

Rose is a big loss, as is Gareth Evans through his hamstring injury.

It shows us how light we are now in midfield.

Who stood out for you?

Matty Kennedy was absolutely fantastic and influential, involved in two of the three goals.

He added that bit of width I believed we had been missing and was brilliant.

Kennedy’s a scruffy player, he has a wand of a foot with crosses and is full of endeavour.

He is forward-thinking in everything he does.

He’s that old-fashioned Vince Hilaire-type player.

I love seeing wingers going down the flank and crossing balls into the box.

Northampton’s Chris Long didn’t make himself too popular either.

I sit in the Fratton end and had a very good view of his actions after giving the Cobblers the lead.

He cupped his hand to his ear in a ‘can’t hear you’ gesture, while Ash Taylor was mouthing ‘get in’.

You don’t want to do that in front of the Fratton end.

It was quite comical after that, giving Long stick.

Once the crowd got on his back he didn’t even turn around, he decided to face away!

Serves him right. And his team were well beaten after all that so it certainly wasn’t the best day for him and not the most sensible approach to take.

Match ratings

Luke McGee 7

Nathan Thompson 7

Christian Burgess 7

Matt Clarke 7

Dion Donohue 7

Danny Rose 7 (Adam May 6)

Ben Close 7

Gareth Evans 7 (Jamal Lowe 7)

Brett Pitman 7

Matty Kennedy 9

Oli Hawkins 9