Portsmouth 2 Plymouth 2: Neil Allen's verdict - Controversy, drama, management spats, sending offs and goals. The greatest non-derby never, ever disappoints

Thankfully, Nick Awford as a midfield linchpin, loan persona non grata Ryan Allsop and Jamille Matt’s rutting head have been fleeting associations during Pompey’s navigation of the lower divisions.

Nonetheless, the oft-feuding clubs have shared staple diets of promotion battles, controversy, niggling benches, high-scoring fixtures and packed houses.

And now, for the second season running, a stoppage-time leveller from the Blues to secure a 2-2 draw at Fratton Park.

On Saturday, ITV’s highlights show trotted out hackneyed references to Dockyard Derby, while the match was curiously rebranded ‘Dockside Derby’ in a written report posted on Sky Sports’ website.

Such trite attempts at a hard sell are pointless, for an intriguing modern-day rivalry has genuinely been established between Pompey and the Pilgrims, generating some pulsating games over the years.

The latest sparring session was no different, culminating in irritations boiling over at the final whistle between substitutes Ronan Curtis and Sam Cosgrove.

Elsewhere on the pitch, a potential flashpoint between Danny Cowley and a member of the Pilgrims’ coaching staff during the customary applauding of respective sets of supporterswas swiftly dampened.

At least Derek Adams is no longer around to deliver one of his hallucinogenic accounts of a match – that’s booked in at Fratton Park on April 10, when his Morecambe side visit.

Calais may be closer than Plymouth, yet it’s a rivalry which has delivered some explosive moments during the decade since the Blues departed the Championship.

Fittingly, for the latest clash, Pompey registered their biggest home crowd since December 2018 against Sunderland, with 19,009 present on Saturday, including 1,899 away supporters.

Served up was a delectable first half and a fine advert for League One football, contributed by both sides, warranting a standing ovation at the half-time whistle from many of the Fratton faithful in tribute to their own team’s performance.

At that stage, they cradled a fully-deserved 1-0 lead through Josh Koroma’s stunning goal on his Blues full debut.

The deadline day arrival had patiently served two matches on the bench, yet Cowley finally decided to unleash the Huddersfield loanee in place of Ronan Curtis on the left flank.

Then, on 40 minutes, Clark Robertson played the ball out wide to Koroma, who took advantage of Joe Edwards sliding in, thereby committing himself and allowing the attacker to skip past.

Pompey’s newcomer then drove into the box before crashing a curling right-footed shot down the middle and past Mike Cooper for a spectacular goal to break the deadlock.

No more than Cowley’s men deserved from a breathless opening 45 minutes in which they were a delight to watch at times, prompted by the impish Owen Dale and the pestering Dane Scarlett.

The Blues boast some excellent attacking talent these days, brimming with pace, skill, work-rate and self-belief. Unsurprisingly, they are also League One’s top scorers at present.

If there can be criticism over that magnificent first-half showing, their football should have produced more than Koroma’s effort, particularly in the dying moments during two counter-attacks.

Firstly, Scarlett bore down on Cooper in a rapid transition from a Plymouth attack, only for a superb sliding challenge from Bali Mumba at the death to put the ball out for the corner, while, seconds later, Dale drove across goal.

Controversy is woven through the fabric of such fixtures and, such enough, on 34 minutes, with the scoreline goalless, a combination of Nigel Lonwijk’s hand and Edwards prevented Sean Raggett’s overhead kick from Marlon Pack’s long throw from entering the net.

There were strong appeals that the ball had already crossed the line, while Michael Morrison led the protests for handball, yet linesman Mark Stevens and referee James Bell were unmoved.

Moments earlier, Plymouth themselves had the ball in the net when Finn Azaz steered Edwards’ shot home from close range, only to be called for offside. Alas it was too late for one celebrating Pilgrims fan, who had already launched a green flare onto the pitch.

As ever, the match was living up to its usual billing and, with sad inevitability, the second half failed to recapture that cherished 45 minutes, particularly in the case of the Blues.

An attacking tactical switch by Pilgrims boss Steven Schumacher changed momentum in the visitors’ favour and suddenly Pompey had surrendered their domination.

There was, however, another debatable moment on 61 minutes when Dan Scarr clearly and repeatedly pulled back Scarlett as he attempted to force his way into the box, culminating in the Spurs man stopping and pleadingly looking at the linesman as the defender clutched his shirt.

Nothing was given and, two minutes later, Cowley found himself booked by the referee on the basis of his touchline behaviour could ‘incite the crowd’.

With 16 minutes remaining, the backpeddling Blues still clutched their lead, only to be stung by two goals in five minutes which turned the match on its head.

Firstly, Raggett’s flying headed clearance to deal with Mumba’s dangerous cross from the right ended up diverted into his own net for an own-goal equaliser.

Then, on 79 minutes, a precise ball down the middle brilliantly dissected Morrison and Connor Ogilvie and was converted with quality by substitute Niall Ennis to make it 2-1 to Plymouth.

The visitors would have then stretched their lead even further had Ogilvie not produced a remarkable sliding block to prevent Morgan Whittaker’s shot entering the net after rounding Josh Griffiths.

A shell-shocked Pompey were finished, unable to raise a meaningful punch on the Pilgrims. Five minutes of time added-on merely prolonged the agony rather than generating hope.

Then Morrison tumbled to the floor while jostling with Brendan Galloway as they awaited Pack’s long throw inside the box – and a second yellow card in four minutes marked the substitute’s departure.

Suddenly, a numerically-disadvantage Plymouth were in disarray and, when Pack threw it short to Joe Morrell, the midfielder was able to take an extra touch before clipping the ball high towards the far post.

Amid the bodies was the head of substitute Reeco Hackett and it was 2-2, just like Raggett’s intervention almost 12 months to the day.

Another remarkable entry in these epic fixtures between Pompey and Plymouth which never fail to disappoint – or throw up controversy.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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