Match Report: Portsmouth 3-3 Fleetwood - Blues stage dramatic comeback to draw with Cod Army as ex-Sunderland and Millwall man snatches a point

Despite starting the brighter of the two sides, the hosts fell behind in the seventh minute when Ellis Harrison, who left the club last month, found space behind the defence and squared the ball to Anthony Pilkington – who fired home from close range.

Matters then went from bad to worse nine minutes later when the Cod Army repeated the trick, when Carl Johnstone pulled the ball across goal from the right, before Harrison Biggins slammed home.

And the mood grew more somber in Fratton when the visitors pulled further ahead, thanks to Paddy Lane’s thunderbolt from distance after he had caught the Blues backline napping on the counter, before firing into the top corner.

With some fans seeing the third as their cue to leave, they would have missed Ronan Curtis pull a goal back from the penalty spot seconds later, after Joe Morrell’s cross had hit Callum Camps outstretched arm.

Danny Cowley’s side then started the second half with more impetus than the first, and should have closed the gap further when Hayden Carter weaved his way through the defence, before teeing up Reeco Hackett, but the forward fluffed his lines with the goal at his mercy by dragging wide.

The hosts were most certainly the aggressors after the break as Stephen Crainey’s side looked to run the clock down.

Indeed, the former Southampton defender would have been counting his lucky stars after Tyler Walker looked certain to score from a Denver Hume cross, but his header was thwarted by an excellent block by Clarke on the line, before a double Cairns save.

But when the Fratton chief thought his fortune was out, Curtis pulled the Blues within touching distance when his corner was bundled into the net, after Cairns had made a meal of holding the ball.

Deep into injury time Pompey sparked limbs and completed the famous comeback, as nice link-up play between George Hirst, Tyler Walker and Aiden O’Brien opened the latter into a one-v-one dual with the Cod Army ‘keeper before he coolly slotted home.

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