Exclusive:Portsmouth 2 Cardiff 0: Neil Allen's verdict - An emotional day offers Fratton Park much-needed hope
The Blues collected their first Fratton Park win of the season following a 2-0 success over Cardiff
A day when we savoured the past and embraced the future as a city’s tears turned into smiles.
For 51 years, Alan Knight was a Fratton Park fixture, a constant companion accompanying generations of supporters on journeys of glory and heartache, yet his remarkable legacy will not be allowed to fade.
Before kick-off against Cardiff, a steady stream of well-wishers acknowledged the impromptu memorial situated in the vicinity of Jimmy Dickinson’s stature, bonded by love and united in grief.
A slice of sponge cake and sausage roll were put aside in the press room in tribute. They had long served as Knight’s customary pre-match sustenance, along with delectable footballing gossip.
Meanwhile, a large flag occupied the centre circle of the pitch, depicting a goalkeeping shirt emblazoned with the number one, while carrying the word ‘Legend’ above.
Even ever-popular steward Abdul, an unfailing ray of sunshine, was a little more subdued on this occasion, his smile uncharacteristically a little shorter, despite best intentions.
The loss of a Pompey legend
Now it was time for Fratton Park to honour the man who made 801 appearances, served the club over four decades, won three promotions, featured in an FA Cup semi-final, and collected The News/Sports Mail Player of the Season three times.
With his family laying wreaths on the pitch along with chief executive Andy Cullen, followed by a minute’s silence, also impeccably observed by 2,184 travelling Cardiff fans, it was an incredibly moving prelude to the irrelevance of a football match.
Still, it served as a fitting occasion for John Mousinho’s men to secure a first home victory of the season, skippered by Marlon Pack who, as an eight-year-old Blues fan, caught the tail-end of Knight’s magnificent playing career.
In truth, the Bluebirds represented ideal opposition - and not solely based on previously having failed to win any of their opening four league matches since returning to the Championship.
The revisiting of the ‘When Sol Went Up’ chant, raised many a smile, serving as a poignant reminder of the 2008 FA Cup final when Cardiff formed the Wembley opposition for Harry Redknapp’s men.
And, with a wonderful sense of theatre, it was Conor Shaughnessy who opened the scoring. Yes, he whose iconic goal clinched promotion and the League One title to etch himself into Pompey folklore. Nostalgia is definitely what it used to be.
On 31 minutes, debutant Tyrese Shade’s long throw from close to the corner flag down the left was steered by the head of the Irishman, who found the far corner in front of the Milton End to make it 1-0 after a difficult start for the hosts.
Stunning debut from Brentford loanee Jayden Meghoma
Certainly the deadline day recruit, who 16 months ago was representing Eastleigh in the National League, enjoyed a hugely encouraging Blues bow on the left wing, despite having primarily been a centre-forward with recent club Burton.
Yet it was fellow newcomer Meghoma who was the star performer, while providing a tantalising glimpse into the future, albeit for parent club Brentford, having loaned him to Pompey for the campaign.
Having spent the previous 18 months on loan with Preston and Rangers, playing regularly, the 20-year-old is no rookie and promptly served up an outstanding display of attacking play from left-back.
Had Marko Milovanovic’s 62nd-minute header not been ruled out for offside, Meghoma would have capped his eye-catch debut with a stunning assist, having provided the tantalising cross from the left.
As it was, Milovanovic had to settle for just the one against the Bluebirds. Nonetheless, that was a first Fratton Park goal to cherish after tapping home Adrian Segecic’s superb cross from the right 10 minutes earlier.
First clean sheet of the season
In all honesty, the Serb had spurned two great chances in the first half, one a header from Abu Kamara’s right-wing cross and another being a shanked shot following good work from Shein.
Still, that’s now two goals in six matches for the 23-year-old, offering hope he can be the goalscorer Pompey have desperately craved following Colby Bishop’s diminishing returns as a striker.
Victory lifts Mousinho’s men into 14th place, arresting a worrying start to the season which had involved four defeats in their opening five fixtures in all competitions.
A first clean sheet too, coincidentally on the same day the Blues marked the never-to-be-equalled career of their greatest goalkeeper and one of the club’s most celebrated footballers.
May we raise a slice of sponge cake and sausage roll in honour of Alan Knight and a timely win. It’s what he would have wanted.