Portsmouth Football Club News

It had to end sometime - but perhaps not quite like this. After feasting on Championship sides on the way to winning the FA Cup, it took a Championship outfit to finally knock Pompey out the competition. Swansea’s 2-0 win at Fratton Park snapped the thread back to Wembley and that triumph over Cardiff in the final last May. A win over one Welsh side brought Pompey’s greatest triumph for 58 years, a defeat against another left just the Premier League to focus on for the remainder of this season. There could be few complaints, despite a series of outstanding saves by Swansea keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos as Pompey tried to retrieve a two-goal deficit. Roberto Martinez’s side passed the ball around slickly just as Pompey boss Tony Adams had warned, their fluid 4-3-3 system unsettling the FA Cup holders as they took a two-goal lead before the break. Just three of the FA Cup-winning side were in the starting line-up against Swansea – Sol Campbell, Sylvain Distin and David James – just eight months since the Blues lifted the trophy. Crucially, perhaps, Adams was without cup-winners Glen Johnson and Niko Kranjcar: one suspended, the other injured. But Blues fans had still arrived at Fratton Park buoyed by a three-game unbeaten run, including an excellent 1-1 draw at Spurs. That optimism was heightened by a debut for Jermaine Pennant following his loan move from Liverpool. Pennant floated in behind lone striker Crouch, drifting wide and showing a pleasing willingness to take on players. The former Arsenal man was the prime source of Pompey’s inspiration with his crosses aimed for Crouch’s head. But the first sign that it was not going to Pompey’s day arrived midway through the first half when former Southampton player Nathan Dyer raced onto Jason Scotland’s pass and smashed the ball past James. It was the first goal Pompey had conceded in the FA Cup for 651 minutes, since the fourth round against Plymouth last season. Konstantopoulos denied Crouch from Traore’s cross before the game’s controversial moment: a Belhadj trip on Jordi Gomez right on the edge of the box that referee Andre Marriner felt merited a penalty. James had saved the last two spot-kicks against him in the FA Cup, but could not keep out Scotland’s effort, belted into the bottom corner. Adams’ switch to 4-4-2 after the break gave Pennant the opportunity to fire in the crosses for Crouch and substitute Kanu. But Konstantopoulos was the obstacle, denying Pompey in the style of James in last season’s cup run. He kept out Crouch and Davis from Pennant crosses. And when Crouch beat him with a header from Pennant’s corner, the ball smacked the woodwork. As hope ebbed away and Fratton Park emptied, Pennant and Younes Kaboul were thwarted, too. A hamstring injury to Richard Hughes - who had only returned to action against Swansea after three games out with a knee injury – leaves Pompey’s central midfield resources further depleted ahead of Aston Villa’s visit to Fratton Park on Tuesday. “It was a glamorous tie and we’re very, very proud,” said Martinez afterwards. “We beat a Premier League side away, the FA Cup holders. It’s a great compliment to us.” For Pompey, just the memories remain.

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