'Hang your head in shame' - Sky Sports pundit slams Portsmouth duo for their role in Hull City's winner at MKM Stadium
Hull’s winner against Pompey today was easily avoidable, according to former Coventry and Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie.
Sky Sports pundit Iain Dowie has slammed Pompey’s defending for Hull City’s winner at the MKM Stadium on Saturday.
The former Southampton and West Ham striker said the way Blues defensive duo Ibane Bowat and Jordan Williams coped with the situation was ‘outrageously bad’ and added both should hang their heads in shame as a result.
The key incident happened with just 11 minutes of normal time left to be played, with John Mousinho’s side holding the promotion-chasers to a 2-2 draw thanks to Terry Devlin’s brilliant double in the first half.
Charlie Hughes’ hopeful long ball over the top was aimed in the direction of Joe Gelhardt, who was standing betweem both Bowat and Williams in an inside-right-forward position. Yet neither Pompey defender was able to deal with the situation and this allowed the on-loan Leeds United frontman to superbly take the ball down before dinking it over onrushing Pompey keeper Josef Bursik and into the back of the net.
It was a devastating blow for the Blues who were heading towards a well-deserved point against Sergej Jakirovic’s side, but still looked defensively vulnerable as Mousinho kept faith with the 3-4-3 formation that earned a goalless draw with Wrexham in midweek, albeit without the injured Connor Ogilvie featuring.
And while Dowie gave Hull plenty of credit for both Hughes’ pass and Gelhardt’s finish, he believes the defending on show was ‘ridiculous’.
Iain Dowie on Hull’s winner v Pompey
Acting as second commentator for the lunch-time game that was broadcast live on Sky+, Dowie told those tuning in: ‘The finish is exemplary. (But) Hang your head in shame, by the way. Both of them (Bowatt and Williams), both of them should be doing better, but particularly Jordan Williams.
‘I've got to say, great ball, but absolutely outrageously-bad defending.
‘(It’s a) brilliant pass. What a take. It's just magical, you know. It's a brilliant ball, fantastic take. And the quality of the finish is exemplary. It's just a little dink. So much confidence.
‘He’s a goal machine this year, Gelhardt. But the ball from Charlie Hughes is top draw., too.
‘Not to hammer home the point, but what are Bowat and Williams doing?
‘How have they just allowed that? You know, that is just ridiculous defending. You cannot let him just run off you. One of you has got to take him. One, communication; two, just do your job and track him back if it doesn't happen.’
The defeat was Pompey’s seventh of the season in the Championship and their sixth match in a row without a win.
Mousinho’s side remain 20th in the table heading into the international break - but just four points above the relegation zone.
For your next Pompey read: John Mousinho blasts 'generous' Portsmouth as Hull gratefully capitalise to deepen Fratton Park gloom