Portsmouth's walking wounded battle to huge QPR Championship survival win
Pompey’s season hit a new high as they picked up their third win on the bounce with victory over QPR.
Two goals in three second-half minutes did the damage at Fortress Fratton, as the Blues extended the gap to the bottom three to nine points with a 2-1 win.
It was again a victory at a cost, however, as key defender Rob Atkinson was forced off with a first-half injury, with Zak Swanson and Isaac Hayden also seemingly withdrawn with fitness concerns. Additionally, Hayden Matthews was struggling to move at full-time after falling awkwardly.
Josh Murphy’s superb 20 yarder set John Mousinho’s men on their way, before the in-form winger turned provider for Matt Ritchie’s close-range finish.
Jimmy Dunne made sure it wasn’t a comfortable finale for the Blues, however, as he pulled a goal back for the visitors with 16 minutes left.
Pompey once again started on the front foot with their first chance arriving after just two minutes, as Connor Ogilvie flicked a header wide from Josh Murphy’s cross - but Adil Aouchiche has strayed offside.
Nico Schmid made a very smart stop five minutes to deny Michael Frey six yards out, after a dangerous run from Ilias Chair.
Murphy then threatened with a charge down the left and tantalising cross which flew across the face of QPR’s goal and away to safety.
The impressive Isaac Hayden then produced a crucial tackle on the breaking Koki Saito, with QPR having overlapping bodies in space.
Pompey were dealt a major blow in the 32nd minute as Rob Atkinson and the key defender had to be replaced by Regan Poole.
The early pace of the game slowed as the half wore on, but there was an opening in stoppage time as Ogilvie lifted a shot over from eight yards after a Pompey corner.
The game sparked to life in three second-half minutes, with the pendulum swinging the way of Mousinho’s side.
It was a superb first from Murphy as he drove forward from Andre Dozzell’s early pass, before shifting the ball on to his right foot and launching a peach of an angled drive beyond Paul Nardi.
Murphy then intercepted Steve Cook’s pass three minutes later, before hitting the byline and crossing for Ritchie to apply the close-range finish.
Pompey then had the ball in the back of the net through Ritchie, but Bishop was penalised for a foul on Nardi to the striker’s frustration.
Moments later Dozzell somehow skied the ball over from close range after a charge into the box, with Ritchie cutting the ball back to the midfielder.
Pompey had a let-off with 20 minutes left as Adil Aouchiche lost the ball and Alfie Lloyd blazed past Poole, but fired inches past the far post.
But QPR were back in it with 14 minutes left as Jimmy Dunne beat Ogilvie before lifting the ball over Schmid, as Pompey’s appeals for a foul fell on deaf ears.
It was tense from there on with Matthews struggling to move after falling awkwardly and moved up front.
The Fratton faithful then did their bit to incessantly roar their team through seven minutes of stoppage time, as they saw home another big win.