Portsmouth share spoils with Hull City on final day as Luton Town relegated from Championship
Christian Saydee’s leveller ensured a final-day share of the spoils for Pompey as the curtain came down on the Championship season at Fratton Park.
Saydee cancelled out Matt Crooks’ first-half opener with the result enough to keep Hull in the division, as Luton Town were relegated to League One.
It was day for the Blues to savour their success in staying with two games to spare, as the 2,161 away fans were put through the emotional wringer.
And Pompey were competitive, as they got on top in the latter stages of the first half and then held the ascendancy after the break.
Pompey lost Marlon Pack and Harvey Blair to injury, but both now have the summer to recover after a successful return to the second tier for their side.
A brave smother from Ben Killip denied the visitors after seven minute, before the keeper superbly pushed Lewis Coyle’s 20 yarder around the post.
Pompey were forced into a change after 18 minutes as Harvey Blair was replaced by Matt Ritchie, after the winger came off worse after a foul by Sean McLoughlin.
Hull had the lead after 18 minutes as Gustavo Puerta’s corner was tapped home from close range by Crooks.
Freddie Potts’ header was at Ivor Pandur before a superb sliding block by Conor Shaughnessy denied Joe Gelhardt in the 32nd minute, as he drifted away from Marlon Pack.
Pompey finished the half strongly with Josh Murphy and Ritchie both having efforts, before Pack headed a presentable opening wide from six yards.
Callum Lang then saw his hit from the edge of the box deflected wide in his last action, before being replaced by Christian Saydee at the break.
It took 10 minutes for Saydee to have a big intervention as he levelled things up with a thumping drive from inside the box.
Murphy’s thumping drive from near the byline then caused panic and handball appeals but play continued and the visitors cleared.
Pompey then lost Pack to injury as he was afforded a standing ovation from the Fratton Faithful. The same followed for Freddie Potts with Isaac Hayden and Andre Dozzell on.
With Luton being thrashed at West Brom, Hull knew a draw was enough but it was a precarious scoreline for the visitors with the home side asking the questions as the afternoon wore on.
Killip made a superb stop to push John Egan’s around the post as seven minutes of stoppage time were indicated by the fourth official.
But the visitors saw it through a nervy finale for them to secure their place in the Championship.