Portsmouth wait for Championship win goes on in frantic Sheffield United draw

Pompey and Sheffield United played out a frantic Championship draw.Pompey and Sheffield United played out a frantic Championship draw.
Pompey and Sheffield United played out a frantic Championship draw. | Jason Brown/ProSportsImages
Pompey’s wait for a Championship win continued as they grafted their way out to another hard-earned point against Sheffield United.

It finished goalless at Fratton Park against the unbeaten Blades on another high-octane afternoon of second-tier action.

The home crowd relentlessly roared their team on in the first half, as they put the relegated Premier League side on the back foot.

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Chris Wilder’s side got on top for decent spells of the second half, but the Blues dug in and then saw debut-making Jacob Farrell miss a great chance at the end of normal time.

It may mean another game without victory but the reaction of the home crowd to their players on the full-time whistle spoke volumes.

Pompey were dealt yet another injury blow before kick-off with Conor Shaughnessy going off injured in the warm-up - he was replaced by Tom McIntyre.

The first half proved a relentless affair with Fratton Park at its bearpit best.

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Freddie Potts lashed the game’s first chance over from the edge of the box in the sixth minute.

Paddy Lane was clear on goal in the 16th minute but Michael Cooper got a slight touch to his drive towards the far post.

Will Norris then produced a top-drawer stop in the 26th minute to brilliantly push away Gustavo Hamer’s close-range header.

The home crowd were willing their side on with endless chants of ‘blue army’ and they were so nearly rewarded before the break.

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Marlon Pack swung his free-kick in from the left and it was curling into the top corner before Cooper superbly pushed the effort beyond the upright.

Rak-Sakyi again got the better of Farrell nine minutes after the restart, but Norris was equal to his poked effort from a tight angle.

Kieffer Moore header at Norris from 12 yards in the 58th minute, as the home crowd continued to will their team forward.

Play was then worryingly stopped for a medical incident in the Fratton End - with a fan taken away on a stretcher by medical staff.

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Norris again saved smartly to deny Femi Seriki’s drive in the box with 18 minutes left.

The impressive O’Mahony was then fouled by Harry Souttar 25 yards out, but Pack planted his free-kick well over.

The visitors replied with Norris again saving well, this time with his feet, to keep out Tyrese Campbell’s low drive in the box.

There was a huge late chance for Farrell from Pack’s corner but the Aussie planted his free header over from six yards.

That was the last meaningful action - if you don’t count the melee between the two sets of players on the final whistle.

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