Portsmouth move to brink of Championship return after Shrewsbury victory

Pompey are now one win away from the Championship after today’s 3-1 win over Shrewsbury.

Colby Bishop’s double took his total to 20 league goals for the season, after Chey Dunkley’s early own goal was cancelled out by Jordan Shipley’s finish.

It took the Blues’ unbeaten run to 15 games, as they ultimately got the job done comfortably without being at their fluent best.

It means victory at Bolton next week will guarantee a return to the second tier after a 12-year absence. Failing a win at Wanderers, four points from their final four games will do the job for John Mousinho’s side.

Pompey were given the perfect start when Shrewsbury fell asleep from a throw-in the third minute, leading to Chey Dunkley firing Conor Shaughnessy’s cross past his own keeper.

The Blues were dominating possession without creating too much, but gifted the visitors a route back into the game in the 29th minute when Taylor Perry teed up Shipley to fire past Will Norris.

There was little in the way of clear openings until three minutes before the break when Carl Winchester recklessly caught Kusini Yengi in the box - and Bishop coolly sent Marko Marosi the wrong way from the spot.

A mix-up between Shaughnessy and Norris was so nearly costly five minutes after the restart, as Udoh nipped in - but the Pompey keeper saved the day as he smothered the striker’s shot.

Gavin Whyte and Christian Saydee were sent on in the 61st minute for Abu Kamara and Kusini Yengi, in an effort to pep up the Blues.

Bishop fired at Marosi from 25 yards with 21 minutes left before Udoh found space to set a shot off in the box, as the visitors served warning they were still in the game.

Bishop then settled the game with 13 minutes left, as he reacted to a deft ball over the Shrewsbury defence from Saydee to snaffle his 20th goal of the season with a low finish past Marosi.

From there it was comfortable for Mousinho’s side, as the vast majority of the 20,081 crowd pulled out the full rendition of promotion chants on another afternoon to savour.