Portsmouth held by lowly Fleetwood as League One lead is cut

Pompey saw their lead at the top of League One cut to five points after being held by struggling Fleetwood.

Josh Earl’s second-half finish cancelled out Colby Bishop’s stoppage-time penalty in the first half in the 1-1 draw at Fratton Park.

Lee Johnson’s side had lost their last six games without scoring, but came away with a precious point to delight their 94 travelling fans in a crowd of 18,412.

Pompey had slowly turned the screw on the visitors in the first half, but the Cod Army were dogged after the break as John Mousinho’s side became increasingly ragged.

It means Peterborough are five points behind Pompey, with it seven points to Bolton in third - who have a game in hand.

The game sprang to life after a slow start in the 13th minute as some snappy passing saw Joe Rafferty and Alex Robertson combine to free Abu Kamara, but the Norwich man’s chipped finish was cleared off the line by Connor Teale.

Robertson then scuffed a presentable opening wide seven minutes later before Joe Morrell’s doggedness put off Brendan Wiredu as he pulled the trigger.

Pompey were slowly turning the screw on the strugglers with with Robertson’s class freeing Morrell who in turned fed Kamara, but his effort came back off the foot of the post.

The home crowd’s patience was rewarded in stoppage time when Wiredu was penalised for handball and Bishop made no mistake from 12 yards, sending Jay Lynch the wrong way from the spot.

There was an opening for the visitors 12 minutes after the restart as Jayden Stockley hooked the ball to Wiredu, but he fired over the top from the edge of the box.

The visitors were level in the 63rd minute after a period of pressure, as Pompey failed to deal with a corner allowing Earl to lash home from close range.

Pompey responded by upping the ante with Paddy Lane’s shot blocked inside the box and the home crowd roaring their team forward.

Sub Gavin Whyte could have won it with eight minutes left after being rolled in by Saydee but planted his left footer wide from inside the box.

And the winger got in behind the defence at the death but his cutback was put behind for a corner as it finished all square.