Portsmouth Football Club News

Pompey’s FA Cup run last year was characterised by clean sheets. So it was fitting that they started their defence of the trophy with another one. The pity was that the Blues could not score a goal of their own as they were held by Bristol City at Fratton Park, meaning a third-round replay at Ashton Gate. It was hardly an inspiring contest, with Niko Kranjcar’s second-half miss from a few yards out the game’s most significant moment. But the Blues can take heart from the fact they have now gone 535 minutes – nearly nine hours – without conceding a goal in the FA Cup. Blues boss Tony Adams was pleased to see Pompey look more resilient at home following the 4-1 defeat by West Ham at Fratton Park on Boxing Day. However City manager Gary Johnson was arguably more content with the result that put both sides in the fourth round draw. He said: “For us this is as good as getting through to the next round and drawing a Premier League side at Ashton Gate. “We had to compete all over the field, and we gave as good as we got. We didn’t create many chances, but a draw was a fair result. “As soon as you arrive at Fratton Park there’s a picture of the FA Cup being paraded around the city. That shows how much the FA Cup means to Portsmouth.” Johnson, however, warned that the Blues will offer a stern test at Ashton Gate. “We can’t afford to step off the pace because Portsmouth have world-class players,” he said. “We have to respect that and recognise that we have to be at our best. “The onus will be on us at home. As the home side it will be up to us to put them under pressure. “The FA Cup is about hanging in there. We’ve proved to ourselves we can compete against a Premier League side, and that gives us confidence for the replay. “But we will be up against great Premier League athletes, and have to be mindful of that.”

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