Match Preview: Pompey v Peterborough

All you need to know about League One test

2 September 2022

It might be early days, but there is every reason to get excited about Saturday’s League One action at Fratton Park (3pm kick-off).

Pompey and Peterborough are first and fourth in the standings respectively after the opening six matches.

And they are also the division’s entertainers, with the clubs jointly topping the goals scored chart with 13 apiece.

But while the Blues remain unbeaten in the league, their opponents have suffered a couple of defeats on the road.

Saturday’s 2-1 loss at Derby followed on from a reverse at Plymouth earlier in August, while they needed to come from two goals down to triumph at Cheltenham on the opening day.

It is a different story on the road, however, where Grant McCann’s men have won all three of their fixtures without conceding.

Posh are looking to make an instant return to the Championship after being relegated at the end of last season.

They were beaten 2-0 on their most recent visit to Fratton Park, with Jack Whatmough and Tom Naylor getting the goals in front of a Covid affected small crowd in December 2020.

TEAM NEWS
Josh Koroma could make his debut for Pompey after completing a deadline day loan switch from Huddersfield.

Louis Thompson (leg) is sidelined for the hosts, while the game likely comes too soon for Jayden Reid (hamstring).

Nathan Thompson is suspended for the visitors and fellow former Blues defender Dan Butler is still stepping up his return to full fitness following an ankle problem.

Ollie Norburn (knee) and new signing Kell Watts (knee) are both currently missing for Peterborough.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Read the thoughts of Danny Cowley ahead of the game.

HEAD TO HEAD
Overall
Pompey: 12 wins
Peterborough: 11 wins
9 draws

At Fratton Park
Pompey: 8 wins
Peterborough: 6 wins
3 draws

TICKETS
There is extremely limited seating available for the match – with the majority of spaces in the Milton End – so click here to buy your ticket.

Click here to read our matchday guide and find out what is happening around Fratton Park on Saturday.

MATCH COVERAGE
Domestic iFollow subscribers can listen to live commentary from Andrew Moon and Guy Whittingham by signing into their account and visiting the match centre from around 2pm on Saturday.

Overseas subscribers and match pass holders can watch all the action live, with accompanying commentary.

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 Sunday.

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

BETTING
Pompey are the 20/21 favourites with VBET to secure all three points, while the visitors can be backed at 13/5.

Click here to find a comprehensive list of odds for Saturday’s game. 18+. Please gamble responsibly.

We are committed to playing our part in ensuring our relationship with VBET is promoted in the right way to our supporters.

That is why VBET has partnered with BettorMind, to provide responsible gambling advice around key betting behaviours.

When it comes to betting, we advise all fans to make use of our dedicated responsible gambling site.

ALSO IN LEAGUE ONE
All games kick-off at 3pm

Accrington v Ipswich
Bolton v Charlton
Bristol Rovers v Morecambe
Cambridge v Lincoln
Derby v Plymouth
Exeter v MK Dons
Fleetwood v Wycombe
Forest Green v Shrewsbury
Oxford v Burton
Port Vale v Cheltenham
Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley

LAST FRATTON PARK MEETING

Match Previews

Match Reports

Pompey 2 Peterborough 1

Scarlett double sees Blues battle from behind to win again

3 September 2022

Dane Scarlett scores for Pompey against Peterborough United at Fratton Park — Photo: Jason Brown/Pro Sports Images

Dane Scarlett bagged a brace as Pompey battled from behind to beat Peterborough at a packed Fratton Park.

They got off to a disastrous start, with a mistake at the back gifting Jack Marriott a goal for the visitors.

But Scarlett grabbed an equaliser before the break and was teed-up by debutant Josh Koroma for the winner.

Danny Cowley made a single change from the side that won at Port Vale in the last league outing a week earlier.

Connor Ogilvie missed out after becoming a father in the early hours of the morning and was replaced at left-back by fit-again skipper Clark Robertson.

It meant that deadline day loan signing Koroma had to be content with a spot among the substitutes.

Ben Thompson started for the visitors, but fellow former Pompey players Nathan Thompson and Dan Butler were both unavailable.

The hosts showed their early attacking intent and when Ronan Curtis was brought down, Marlon Pack curled the free-kick narrowly over.

But their opponents were gifted a goal moments later, when Michael Morrison was caught in possession by Jonson Clarke-Harris.

He advanced forward and unselfishly squared the ball for strike partner Marriott to slot past Josh Griffiths.

It might have got even worse for the Blues just moments later, with Clarke-Harris’ angled attempt having to be turned around the post by Griffiths.

But Cowley’s men were otherwise impressive in the first half and after spinning sharply on the edge of the box, Curtis fizzed a shot narrowly past the post.

Curtis and Owen Dale were finding plenty of joy on the wings and Peterborough were having to defend resolutely.

It was Dale who was next to go close with a low attempt that flashed narrowly wide, while a Scarlett effort was then deflected into the side netting.

There should have been a leveller on 33 minutes when Dale found Curtis in space at the back post, but the Republic of Ireland international could not find the target from just a few yards out.

It did not take much longer for the equaliser to arrive, though, as a superb Robertson cross was nodded home by SCARLETT for his third goal in as many games.

Peterborough had a chance just before the break following a poor Griffiths kick, but Marriott could not make a connection with Clarke-Harris’ cross.

Half Time: Pompey 1 Peterborough 1

The hosts took a while to get going after the break, lacking some of the attacking fluency that had been so evident in the first half.

But a monster Pack throw might have led to a second goal, with the ball not quite landing right for Sean Raggett to make a clean connection.

Cowley decided to freshen things up with a double switch on 66 minutes, as Reeco Hackett and Koroma replaced Dale and Curtis.

And the debutant soon grabbed an assist to help Pompey take the lead for the first time in the game.

He found SCARLETT inside the box and the on-loan Tottenham striker continued his goal spree by sliding a shot through Frankie Kent’s legs and into the net.

The teenager was withdrawn alongside Tom Lowery on 76 minutes, with Joe Pigott and Joe Morrell adding some fresh legs.

And Cowley decided to shore things up for the closing stages, by bringing on Jay Mingi for Colby Bishop.

Peterborough were not looking too threatening, though, and when a Ricky-Jade Jones delivery was only partially cleared, Jack Taylor blazed the loose ball over.

And Pompey saw out the closing stages with relative ease to continue their fine start to the league campaign.

Pompey (4-4-2): Griffiths; Rafferty, Morrison, Raggett, Robertson (c); Dale (Hackett 66), Pack, Lowery (Morrell 76), Curtis (Koroma 66); Scarlett (Pigott 76), Bishop (Mingi 82)
Goals: Scarlett 37, 70
Booked: Rafferty, Robertson
Subs not used: Oluwayemi, Jacobs

Peterborough (3-4-1-2): Bergström; Knight, Edwards, Kent; Ward, Fuchs, Taylor, Burrows (Jones 77); Thompson (Poku 71); Clarke-Harris, Marriott (Mason-Clark 79)
Goals: Marriott 5
Booked: Kent
Subs not used: Blackmore, Tomlinson, Kyprianou, Randall

Referee: Samuel Barrott

Attendance: 18,168 (802 away fans)