Portsmouth Academy 4 Cambridge United 5: Blues pay the price in pulsating nine-goal FA Youth Cup thriller

Zesh Rehman’s side headed into the 90th minute of their Fratton Park encounter with Cambridge United clutching a 3-2 advantage and seemingly set for victory.

Goals from Jamie Howell (two) and Koby Mottoh appeared to have finally overcome the dangerous visitors, who had struck the post and bar.

However, for the third time in the match, the defiant U’s levelled, this time through Glenn McConnell from the penalty spot, to send the lively tie into extra-time.

It was agony for the Blues – and they never recovered from the late blow, with the momentum now in Cambridge’s favour.

Sure enough, in the first half of extra-time, a second McConnell penalty and Kai Yearn’s second of the game handed the visitors a 5-3 advantage.

Mottoh reduced the deficit with his second to make it 5-4 with six minutes remaining – but there was to be no comeback as Cambridge clinched a third-round trip to Colchester.

Among the 382 Fratton Park crowd were Danny Cowley and first-team players Marlon Pack and Michael Morrison and they, like the Pompey faithful, would have gone home disappointed at the outcome.

The Blues had taken an eighth-minute lead through a superbly-worked goal on the counter.

Sam Folarin pushed a precise pass down the middle, with Howell surging past the last defender to collect, before producing a sublime right-footed finish from the edge of the box.

A moment of quality from the young Blues, yet they almost conceded an equaliser straight from Cambridge’s kick-off.

Glenn McConnell’s shot was pushed out by scrambling keeper Malachi Osei-Owusu, only to fall invitingly to Njoku following up at the far post.

However, from a tight angle, the youngster’s attempt cannoned off the post and bounced to safety to ensure Pompey’s lead wasn’t short-lived.

In the 22nd minute, though, Brandon Njoku did level, curling a shot right-footed into the top corner from inside the box for a stunning finish to make it 1-1.

Then, in the 33rd minute, centre-half Josh Dockerill swung in a delightful cross from the right which curled over the head of keeper Tom Finch.

There was Mottoh to head home from close range at the far post to give Pompey a 2-1 advantage.

That remaining the scoreline at the break, although, within two minutes of the second half, the visitors’ McConnell forced his way through from the left and fired a right-footed shot against the bar.

Yet, in the 62nd minute, the U’s equalised for a second time in the match when Greg Sandiford’s deep cross from the right was headed home at the far post by Kai Yearn.

Still the goals continued, with Howell grabbing his second of the match on 77 minutes to make it 3-2 to the Blues.

Adam Payce cleverly threaded through a pass for right wing-back Mottoh to race onto inside the box and his low cross was turned home right-footed by Howell.

Then, in the 90th minute, Cambridge came back yet again after Osei-Owusu spilled a shot at his near post and Dockerill was adjudged to have fouled Hoddle following up.

Pompey’s keeper saved McConnell’s resulting penalty, but the Cambridge youngster followed up to make it 3-3.

The game entered extra-time and, in the 93rd minute, for the first time in the game the visitors went ahead.

Substitute Kevin Bosaka gave away a penalty, which again was saved by Osei-Owusu from McConnell – and once more he netted the rebound.

Cambridge led 4-3 and it became 5-3 just three minutes later when Amaru Kaunda set up Yearn for his second.

There was, though, a lifeline on 104 minutes when Mottoh produced a lovely strike from the edge of the box to make it 5-4, but that is how it remained in a remarkable match.

Pompey: Osei-Owusu, Mottoh, Quarm (86 mins Bosaka), Spurway, Dockerill, Laidlaw, Simpson (106 mins Hurst), Payce, Kamavuako (72 mins Aston), Howell (86 mins Murray), Folarin.

Subs Not Used: Smith, Fox.