Portsmouth 1 Oxford United 1: Neil Allen's match report - Yet another stalemate as triple substitution inspires U's to avoid defeat

Occasions against Oxford yielded four stalemates last term amid tight contests with little to separate the competitors.

Of course, the most telling was the League One play-off semi-final, resulting in spot-kick defeat for Kenny Jackett’s men.

A penalty was also instrumental in the first encounter since that agonising July elimination, albeit on this occasion earning Karl Robinson’s side a point.

Pompey were comfortable, leading through Sean Raggett’s 18th-minute header and relatively untroubled by the struggling visitors.

Indeed, the Blues appeared the more likely to score next, with John Marquis spurning a great chance and Jack Whatmough hitting the bar with a header.

Then a triple substitution on 62 minutes breathed new life into the U’s. Within seven minutes they had grabbed the equaliser.

Whatmough’s foul on Dan Agyei provided the opportunity to level from the spot and Alex Gorrin confidently converted.

It was yet another draw, although one would have left Pompey the more disappointed out of the sides.

Although they failed to test former keeper Simon Eastwood sufficiently, the hosts had largely dictated the second half until Robinson’ substitution.

Once Gorrin made it 1-1, the Blues never quite regained their composure and in the end a fifth consecutive draw in normal time was the outcome.

There was an on-pitch scuffle at the final whistle, emanating from Curtis and involving most of the players, the majority acting as peacemakers.

A suggestion that some ill-feeling does exist between these rivals who continue to find it different to separate themselves.

Jacket made two changes to the side which started Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Crewe, replacing both full-backs.

Lee Brown and Callum Johnson had been introduced at half-time of that crushing win over the Railwaymen, replacing Cam Pring and Haji Mnoga.

For the visit of Oxford, Brown and Johnson received the nod for starting spots, adding more experience to Jackett’s back four.

Those changes saw Pring drop to the bench, while Mnoga was not included in the 18-man squad on duty.

Ryan Williams was available following a hip problem, but had to make do with a place among the substitutes.

That left Marcus Harness and Ronan Curtis as the wingers, with Ellis Harrison and John Marquis forming the strike force in a 4-4-2 system.

Oxford kicked off proceedings by dominating the ball in the early exchanges, yet without truly impacting Pompey.

There was an overhit cross from Anthony Forde which comfortably found the arms of Craig MacGillivray, but otherwise the U’s were rarely entering the home penalty area.

The Blues themselves were also failing to threaten and quite content for Robinson’s men to play their football well in front of the final third.

Clever work from Olamide Shodipo down the left did spark entry into Pompey’s penalty, with Harness then caught in possession to spark some Oxford pressure.

Yet Jackett’s men crowded out the U’s and managed to clear without too much trouble, initiating a counter attack which briefly flickered before ending.

The deadlock was broken on 19 minutes in the Blues’ favour through the first goal attempt by either side.

Raggett was still upfield from an earlier free-kick and, when Ronan Curtis seized the ball down the left, he crossed.

There was the centre-half, eight-yards out, to plant an excellent header past Simon Eastwood to make it 1-0 to the hosts.

John Marquis should have made it 2-0 on 26 minutes when Harrison’s shot-cum-cross from the right flew in his direction.

However, League One’s leading scorer could only manage to fire a first-time right-footed attempt wide with the goal gaping.

Marquis’ body language was clear, he knew he should have buried that opportunity, nonetheless the Blues still led.

Then, on 31 minutes, an excellent cross from the right by Harness was met with a towering far-post header from Jack Whatmough which crashed against the bar.

Curtis followed it up with a corner from the left which fizzed across the face of goal, begging for a touch to find the net.

Oxford had their best chance yet on 40 minutes when Sam Long did superbly to pull the ball back from the right.

It fell to Forde, who took a touch and, with Tom Naylor hurling himself in front of the attacker, it was enough to put him off and fire his shot over the bar.

The Oxford man should have done far better from that position, particularly when opportunities were proving so few for the visitors.

There were no substitutions at the break, although minutes after the restart Pompey threatened when Johnson’s low cross from the right was flicked on by Marquis, but no-one was close enough to the striker.

Sean Clare became the first player to be booked on 51 minutes after a foul by the South Stand touchline on Curtis, who initially made all kinds of noises and gesticulating to suggest it was serious.

However, the Irishman was able to continue, apparently unhindered by the incident.

On 62 minutes, Brown’s corner from the right was headed back by Curtis and Raggett nodded the ball over from a decent position.

The U’s immediately brought on Mark Sykes, Marcus McGuane, Jordan Obita in a triple substitution, replacing Forde, Henry and Shodipo.

McGuane was immediately in the action with a fierce shot from outside the area which drew a brilliant flying one-handed save from MacGillivray.

At the other end, Brown’s cross from the left was diverted towards goal by Harrison and tipped over by Eastwood.

On 69 minutes, out of the blue, Whatmough felled Dan Agyei inside the box to concede a penalty.

Up stepped Alex Gorrin to send MacGillivray the wrong way and level the scores.

Curtis had a golden opportunity to level moments later when Naylor clipped a delightful ball to the far post, only for the Irishman to volley a left-footed shot well wide.

Jackett made his first substitution on 80 minutes, when Bryn Morris replaced Cannon.

Oxford were looking a different side and MacGillivray had to superbly tip away substitute Sykes’ drive from the right which appeared to be creeping in at the far post.

During four minutes of time added on, Johnson put in a cross from the right which Curtis headed straight at Eastwood, who plucked it out of the air without a problem.

That was the last opportunity for either side to find a winner and once again it was all-square between the League One rivals.