Match Preview: Charlton v Pompey

All you need to know about League One test

2 February 2021

Saturday saw Pompey arrive at The Valley, stare at the pitch for a few minutes and then promptly get back in their coach to return to the south coast.

Heavy rain left referee Robert Madley with no option but to postpone the contest, with the sides deciding to try again this evening.

And Kenny Jackett’s men will be trying to avoid a third successive defeat when they come up against Charlton.

The teams are separated by a single point in the League One standings, with the Londoners two places behind in seventh position, having played two games more.

And both are aiming to close the gap on Lincoln and Hull, who currently occupy the automatic promotion spots.

Lee Bowyer guided the Addicks into the Championship, courtesy of a Wembley victory over Sunderland at the end of the 2018/19 campaign.

But their stay proved to be a short one, with a 4-0 defeat at Leeds on the final day of last term sealing their return back to the third tier.

Charlton have collected more points on the road than at their own patch in the first half of the campaign, with just four home successes.

They won 2-0 at Fratton Park back in October, also coming out on top in the most recent clash at The Valley in March 2019.

TEAM NEWS
Jack Whatmough begins a three-match ban following his sending off against Lincoln, while Alex Bass (leg), Ben Close (hamstring) and Paul Downing (hamstring) are all sidelined.

Goalkeeper Lewis Ward is likely to be named on the bench following his recent loan arrival from Exeter.

Charlton are missing Ryan Inniss (quad), while Akin Famewo (ankle) is a doubt and Conor Washington is also unlikely to feature after picking up a knock.

The hosts could hand a debut to new signing Matt Smith, but deadline day arrival Diallang Jaiyesimi was not registered in time.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Read the thoughts of Kenny Jackett ahead of the game.

HEAD TO HEAD
Overall
Pompey: 45 wins
Charlton: 37 wins
27 draws

At Charlton
Pompey: 17 wins
Charlton: 20 wins
16 draws

OFFICIALS
Referee: Lee Swabey
Assistants: Christopher Wade and Paul Lister
Fourth Official: Daniel Cook

MATCH COVERAGE
Supporters in the UK can watch the action live – with graphics, commentary and replays – by purchasing a match pass for £10.

Subscribers will, as usual, be able to listen to listen to live commentary from Andy Moon and Guy Whittingham by signing into their account and visiting the match centre from 6pm. Click here for important information about commentary.

Please note that subscribers based in the UK and Ireland will still need to purchase a match pass in order to watch the game live.

Fixture News

Charlton v Pompey: Match Passes And Commentary

1 February 2021

If you purchased a pass for when the game was originally due to be played on Saturday, then this remains valid.

Click here for more information about using iFollow on a matchday and click here for information on downloading the app, so you can access content on your mobile device.

We will have updates throughout the game on Twitter and the match centre. You can also see behind-the-scenes content on our Instagram story.

There will be post-match reaction on the website and our official YouTube channel, with highlights to follow on Wednesday.

Local listeners can hear commentary by tuning in to either Express FM or BBC Radio Solent.

BETTING
Pompey are the 31/20 favourites with VBET to secure all three points, while the hosts can be backed at 9/5.

Click here to find a comprehensive list of odds for this evening's game. Please gamble responsibly.

ALSO IN LEAGUE ONE
Games kick-off at 7pm unless stated

Swindon v Wigan (6pm)
Accrington v Bristol Rovers
Blackpool v Northampton
Shrewsbury v Crewe

PAST MEETING

Match Previews

Match Reports

Charlton 1 Pompey 3

Jacobs, Naylor and Cannon on target at The Valley

2 February 2021

Pompey celebrate Michael Jacobs — Photo: Joe Pepler/PinPep

Pompey returned to winning ways in style with a deserved victory over promotion rivals Charlton at The Valley.

The game – which was rearranged from the weekend because of a waterlogged pitch – saw the visitors create a hatful of chances.

They led at the break thanks to a superb Michael Jacobs strike, although Jayden Stockley levelled against his former club.

But the Blues were not to be denied and Tom Naylor restored the advantage before Andy Cannon wrapped things up with a fierce finish.

Kenny Jackett made four changes from the side that were beaten by Lincoln on home soil the previous week.

Charlie Daniels came in for his full Pompey debut, while there were also starts for James Bolton, Ellis Harrison and Jacobs.

Jack Whatmough started a three-match ban following his red card against the Imps, with Lee Brown, Ronan Curtis and Marcus Harness dropping to the bench.

The possession stats did not give a true indication of how the first half unfolded, with the hosts seeing more of the ball, but their opponents largely on top.

An early John Marquis effort did not overly trouble Addicks keeper Ben Amos, while it was the Londoners who were first to properly threaten.

A fizzing effort from the edge of the box by Albie Morgan on 10 minutes clipped the top of the crossbar.

But Pompey soon found their feet and looked particularly dangerous on the break, causing plenty of problems.

When Sean Raggett intercepted the ball, Harrison probably took too long to find Marquis, who was unable to keep his effort down.

A Daniels free-kick was blocked by the Charlton wall, while the follow-up from Harrison met the same fate.

Jacobs’ superb pass then found Marquis in the area, but Amos was quickly off his line to deny the striker.

Addicks skipper Darren Pratley was perhaps fortunate not to make a fuller connection with Cannon after lunging in on the midfielder and escaped with a booking.

That failed to stop Pompey’s attacking mindset, though, and Marquis’ shot was deflected wide after Deji Oshilaja’s slip opened up space.

But the deadlock was finally broken on 39 minutes – and it was a fine strike to give the Blues their deserved lead.

Naylor collected the ball from a corner and slipped a pass to JACOBS, who launched a rocket of a shot right into the top corner.

Pompey almost added a second in stoppage-time after the lively Harrison had stolen possession, but this time the attempt from Jacobs was deflected narrowly past the post.

Half Time: Charlton 0 Pompey 1

It was the visitors who had created most of the game’s best moments before the break, but their opponents levelled with the first decent chance of the second half.

A corner was sent into the box by Andrew Shinnie and Stockley rose highest to nod the ball past Craig MacGillivray.

Harrison came close to restoring the lead almost immediately, but Amos stuck out a hand to somehow deny him after Daniels’ free-kick had been nodded on by Marquis.

The goal did come soon after, however, as Harness – who had come on for Williams – whipped in a free-kick that was headed home by NAYLOR.

And it soon got even better, with CANNON stealing the ball from Ben Watson and hammering in a fierce shot that found the net off the inside of the post.

There were worries following a clash of heads between Raggett and Oshilaja, although both were fine to continue after getting bandaged up.

Charlton committed men forward in search of a route back into the contest, only for attempts from Watson and Liam Millar to fail to find the target.

Pompey let their opponents have the ball in the closing stages and there were eight minutes of stoppage-time for the hosts to do something special.

But the Blues – who brought on George Byers and Harvey White as the seconds ticked down – saw the game out to climb up to fourth in the table.

Charlton (4-1-2-1-2): Amos; Matthews, Gunter, Oshilaja, Maatsen; Pratley (c) (Watson 46); Forster-Caskey, Shinnie (Smith 77); Morgan (Millar 46); Schwartz (Aneke 61), Stockley
Goals: Stockley 52
Booked: Oshilaja, Pratley, Maatsen, Watson
Subs not used: Maynard-Brewer, Pearce, Purrington

Pompey (4-4-2): MacGillivray; Johnson, Bolton, Raggett, Daniels; Williams (Harness 53), Naylor (c), Cannon, Jacobs (White 90+5); Marquis (Byers 87), Harrison
Goals: Jacobs 39, Naylor 55, Cannon 61
Booked: Harrison, Naylor
Subs not used: Ward, Mnoga, Brown, Curtis

Referee: Lee Swabey