Portsmouth hearts broken at the death as Bristol Rovers inflict first away League One defeat

Pompey suffered their maiden League One defeat on the road this season as Bristol Rovers swooped at the death.

It appeared substitute and emergency left-back Paddy Lane had stepped up to earn Pompey a late point in a tough encounter after battling from behind.

John Mousinho’s men were trailing to Anthony Evans’ stunning free-kick when Lane calmly slotted home Marlon Pack’s pass with 14 minutes remaining to make it 1-1.

Yet, in the fourth minute of time added on, Luke Thomas secured victory for the hosts by finishing at the far post following a break down the left.

It was agony for the Blues, who were finishing the game strongly, with substitute Christian Saydee twice going close when presented with excellent goal-scoring opportunities.

The second-half changes of Lane, Saydee and Kusini Yengi had lifted the visitors, with several of their players frustratingly out-of-sorts in the Memorial Stadium encounter.

However, just as it seemed a decent point was in their grasp, there was late heartbreak as Matt Taylor’s men claimed a 2-1 victory.

Mousinho had made one change following the disappointing draw against Fleetwood, with Paddy Lane dropping to the bench.

That marked a recall for Gavin Whyte, handed his first League One start since mid-September, lining up on the left flank in front of Jack Sparkes.

Yet it remained the same 18-man squad on duty on Saturday, with Tom Lowery, Connor Ogilvie and Zak Swanson among the injured players still missing.

When play got underway, Pompey had a scare on four minutes when Harvey Vale crossed from the left and Marquis slid in a shot which brought a brilliant point-blank save from Will Norris.

The keeper flung himself to his right to somehow keep out the attempt, only for the linesman’s flag to intervene for offside against Marquis.

On 11 minutes, a lovely Blues move culminated with Joe Rafferty’s cross on the run down the right being met with a Colby Bishop header, yet was taken comfortably by Matt Cox.

It wasn’t quite clicking for the Blues, though, particularly in the final third, with the hosts offering more of a goal threat on their foray forwards.

On the stroke of half-time, Rafferty slipped a delightful low ball in from the right but Cox did just enough to put off the sliding Bishop as the striker attempted to connect.

There were no substitutions at the interval, but the out-of-sorts Robertson made way after 52 minutes for Christian Saydee.

On 56 minutes Rovers struck the bar after Bishop, defending his own goal, misjudged a clearing header which he should have let go out of play.

It allowed Tristan Crama to strike a shot against Pompey’s bar, which bounced clear, much to the visitors’ relief.

Rovers then threatened on the counter-attack on 66 minutes, with the move ended on the edge of the Blues’ penalty area through Joe Morrell’s foul, earning the midfielder a yellow card.

From the resulting free-kick, up stepped Evans to strike a brilliant shot into the far corner of the net, with Norris helpless.

Yet it was all-square on 76 minutes following a lovely left-footed finish from substitute Lane.

Introduced four minutes earlier in a double change with Kusini Yengi, with Sparkes and Whyte coming off, he popped up on the left to calmly stroke the ball past Cox after excellent work from Pack.

Momentum was with the Blues and one scramble from a left-wing corner was hacked away by Rovers, while, moments later, Saydee should have done better when Kamara pulled the ball back.

Then, on 86 minutes, Pack teed up Saydee once more and he slid a shot just wide of the far post from another great goal-scoring position.

However, four minutes into time added-on, Luke Thomas pounced at the far post to crash home the winner and seal Pompey defeat.