Unlikely hero hands Portsmouth priceless victory over Blackburn to stop the rot

Ibane Bowat’s first Pompey goal earned Pompey a priceless victory to arrest their worrying plummet down the table.

John Mousinho's men were trailing 1-0 after 62 minutes, with John Swift’s mistake handing Yuki Ohashi a first-half lead.

However, Josh Murphy’s left wing cross was then converted at the far post by Callum Lang to level the match.

But the Blues weren’t finished and Conor Chaplin’s right-wing corner was headed home by Bowat with just 11 minutes remaining to earn a 2-1 triumph.

The victory lifts Mousinho’s side one point above the relegation zone and, just as crucially, arrests the worrying plummet down the table driven by seven defeats in nine previous fixtures.

Mousinho made one enforced change to the side which lost 1-0 at Swansea on Tuesday night. With Marlon Pack suspended, Andre Dozzell was back from his own one-game ban to take the skipper’s place in the centre of midfield.

The bench remained the same, with Florian Bianchini again absent, while Josh Murphy was handed the captain’s armband in the absence of Pack.

Pompey were on the front foot from the off and, on seven minutes, Murphy cut in from the left and fired in a right-footed shot which keeper Aynsley Pears parried, albeit with a bit of trouble.

At the other end, Andri Gudjohnsen headed over when well placed after meeting Yuki Ohashi’s right-wing cross.

Yet there was plenty of aggression about the Blues’ play and, on 22 minutes, a teasing cross from the left by Murphy was pushed out by Pears, only for Callum Lang to collide with the keeper in his attempts to reach it.

The Blackburn man was able to continue following treatment, while referee Tim Robinson had a quick word with Lang over his challenge, having himself escaped injury.

Pears was again called into action on 31 minutes, saving Terry Devlin’s fierce right-footed shot from 22-yards to earn the hosts a corner.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead against the run of play on 36 minutes, after John Swift’s poor pass in the opposition half.

Blackburn sprung the counter attack, with Devlin and Dozzell unable to stop the Japanese attacker as he curled a right-footed shot past Nicolas Schmid from inside the box to make it 1-0.

Still trailing at the break, Mousinho made one change, with Bishop replacing Minhyeok Yang and Lang switching over to the right wing.

Pompey suddenly sprang to life on 60 minutes with a frantic period in the Blackburn penalty area which saw Chaplin’s shot saved, Lang’s follow-up blocked and then another Chaplin attempt saved.

From Murphy’s resulting right-wing corner, Zak Swanson headed narrowly over the bar, yet the fans had been lifted.

Sure enough, on 62 minutes, Murphy crossed from the left and there was Lang arriving at the far post to sweep the ball home right footed to make it 1-1.

Pompey had the momentum, Fratton Park’s belief had been restored, and, on 79 minutes, Swanson’s shot won the Blues a right-wing corner.

That was delivered by Chaplin, with Bowat rising highest to plant a header into Blackburn’s net to earn the hosts a 2-1 triumph.

A precious lifeline in a season threatening to unravel, it’s a triumph which was immaculately timed.