Spirited Portsmouth earn valuable point at Norwich City as survival fight takes fresh twist

Pompey earned a late draw at Carrow Road to share the points against play-off chasing Norwich City.

Despite netting a 27th-minute opener, Pelle Mattsson converted into his own net in the closing stages as the Blues fought back to earn a valuable 1-1 draw.

John Mousinho made wholesale changes to the side who fell to a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of QPR a fortnight ago, with Madiodio Dia, Conor Chaplin, Luke Le Roux, Colby Bishop and Gustavo Caballero handed starts.

Despite making five switches, the Blues were slow to get started when the action finally got underway after referee Stephen Martin’s microphone prompted a delay.

Indeed, the first chance fell to Phillipe Clement’s outfit. Paris Maghoma was left unmarked by Pompey from an early corner, with his header falling to Mathias Kvistgaarden on the penalty spot. The midfielder’s acrobatic effort was deflected by Dia.

After being shown a yellow card just five minutes into the contest, Marlon Pack was given his last warning just 19 minutes in after Oscar Schwartau showed great skill to win a free kick on the edge of the box.

Jacob Wright’s cracking delivery was missed by Nicolas Schmid, although Jakov Medic’s effort was wide of the mark.

However, Norwich did find an opener after 27 minutes, with Mattsson capitalising on terrible defending by Mousinho’s men.

The Blues appeared to switch off at the back, with the midfielder given time and space to advance in the box and fire a calm effort past Schmid into the bottom corner. Mattsson, of course, was on Pompey’s radar before making the £3m move to Carrow Road in the summer.

But the visitors did show a bit of promise after falling a goal behind. Pack’s corner two minutes later was sent into a brilliant area, but Dia was unable to work an effort after pinball in the box.

Pompey did end the first half the strongest, with Pack’s brilliant free-kick on the edge of the box forcing Vladan Kovacevic into an excellent save.

It was more of the same after the break, with the visitors starting the second half the strongest.

Although the Blues didn’t create too many openings, their intense passing frustrated Clement’s side, with the home support not too impressed with their side’s second-half start.

The Fratton faithful were incensed after referee Martin waved away appeals for a penalty after Alli’s through ball appeared to hit the hand of Wright in the box. Replays showed the midfielder did handle the ball but outside of the box.

Despite their frustrations in front of goal, Mousinho rolled the dice late on with Keshi Anderson, Harvey Blair and Jacob Brown all coming on to force a leveller.

Indeed, the Blues’ hard work paid off when Andre Dozzell’s free-kick was found by Bishop in the box.

The Magic Man’s neat header fell into the path of Mattsson, who put the ball into his own net after grappling with Regan Poole at the back post.

It was a nervy finale for Pompey, though, with Norwich attempting to snatch the points in stoppage time.

Schmid was called into action late in the game and did well to stop Ali Ahmed’s well-struck volley on the edge of the box.

Mousinho’s men were able to hold on to a valuable point, woith the draw enough to keep them out of the bottom three.