Portsmouth's Fortress Fratton's remarkable landmark as she waits to resume footballing dominance

It is now a year since Pompey last suffered a league defeat at Fortress Fratton.
Fratton Park hasn't witnessed a league defeat for a year - with Pompey now 20 league and play-off games unbeaten at home. Picture: Graham Hunt/ProSportsImages/PinPFratton Park hasn't witnessed a league defeat for a year - with Pompey now 20 league and play-off games unbeaten at home. Picture: Graham Hunt/ProSportsImages/PinP
Fratton Park hasn't witnessed a league defeat for a year - with Pompey now 20 league and play-off games unbeaten at home. Picture: Graham Hunt/ProSportsImages/PinP

Although, should this season ever resume, there will be no home faithful present to drive their team towards extending that remarkable record.

It was April 30, 2019, when Peterborough inflicted a 3-2 loss, effectively ending hopes of automatic promotion from League One.

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Ivan Toney’s 75th-minute winner settled the occasion, with Viv Solomon-Otabor’s late off-side goal adding to the drama.

However, in the subsequent 20 league and play-off fixtures at Fratton Park, the Blues have remained unbeaten.

In fact, in all competitions, Kenny Jackett’s men have suffered two home losses in 30 fixtures during the last 12 months – the blots on their copybook coming at the hands of Premier League pair Southampton and Arsenal.

It’s an outstanding return which sees the Blues boasting the only unbeaten home league record in the Football League.

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Meanwhile, Pompey’s 42-point haul at Fratton Park ensures they also possess the best home form in League One this season.

With a goal difference of plus 21, it puts them ahead of Wycombe (also 42 points), Peterborough (39 points) and Sunderland (38 points).

In League One, Jackett’s men have won 12 and drawn six of their 18 Fratton Park matches this term.

They drew 2-2 with Fleetwood in their last south-coast fixture, before the football season was postponed after the coronavirus pandemic escalated.

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That left Pompey in fourth, separated from third-placed Oxford United by goal difference, having fulfilled the same amount of fixtures.

Of the remaining four matches still to play at Fratton Park during the 2019-20 campaign, on paper Doncaster represent the stiffest opposition – and greatest threat to the unbeaten home record.

The others are Accrington, Burton and Bristol Rovers.

In contrast to four games left on home territory, the Blues have five fixtures on their travels – plus the Leasing.com Trophy against Salford at Wembley.

Overall, that Peterborough loss represents the sole occasion Pompey have suffered a league defeat since Blackpool in January 2019.

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Broken down, that’s one defeat in the last 27 League One and play-off matches at Fratton Park.

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