Pompey out to deliver telling Oldham blow - but not like Sodje did!

Pompey return to Oldham on Saturday looking to deliver a telling blow to their hosts' recent good form.
Sam Sodje gets his marching orders from referee Mark HeywoodSam Sodje gets his marching orders from referee Mark Heywood
Sam Sodje gets his marching orders from referee Mark Heywood

But they'll be hoping to avoid a Sam Sodje-style sunkerpunch on their latest trip to Boundary Park.

The last time the Blues visited the Latics, the Nigerian international hit Jose Baxter twice in the groin before being shown a red card.

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Caretaker boss Guy Whittigham had already witnessed his side go 1-0 down, following Baxter's 11th-minute effort.

And Sodje's moment of madness on 50 minutes put an end to any hope of a comeback, with the 1-0 defeat seeing Pompey sit four points adrift at the bottom of the League One table.

The centre-half's dismissal saw him serve a three-match ban, with his actions that day later the subject of match-fixing allegations, which were later dropped.

At the time of the sending off, Whittingham said: ‘It was a silly thing to do and I think out of character.

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‘We know Sam is a competitive guy and since he has been here he’s been great.

‘If he’s not in the team, he is geeing everybody up, wishing them good luck.

‘When he has been out there he has shown he is a decent defender and very competitive.

‘You cannot understand the mentality of what he did.

‘Sam has not explained why he did it and you could go back to try to find out, but, listen, it is done so you have to move on.

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‘The punishment will be dealt with internally, i am not going to say what it is.’

Sodje arrived on a free transfer in January 2013.

He played nine times for the Blues before being released that summer.

At present, 19th-placed Oldham are unbeaten in their past five matches.

Pompey, who are 12th, go into Saturday's game looking to avoid a third defeat in a row.