Match Preview: Pompey v Wycombe

All you need to know about League One contest

3 October 2023

Fratton Park is all set for a hectic period of hosting three matches in the space of just eight days – starting with tonight’s match against Wycombe (7.45pm kick-off).

The home side should be playing with plenty of confidence after extending their unbeaten start to the League One campaign with a weekend win at Wigan.

But their opponents make the relatively short trip down to the south coast enjoying their own run of good form.

Since opening the season with back-to-back defeats against Exeter and Lincoln, the Chairboys have lost just one of the following seven games.

Luke Leahy’s penalty and a Sam Vokes strike secured a 2-0 victory over Carlisle on home soil on Saturday, as they capitalised on an early red card for visiting keeper Jökull Andrésson.

It leaves Matt Bloomfield’s men sitting ninth in the standings – six points behind the Blues having played one game fewer.

The Wanderers boss will see some familiar faces this evening, having played alongside both John Mousinho and Marlon Pack at Adams Park.

It finished 2-2 when these sides met at Fratton Park on the final day of last season, with Pack and Paddy Lane on target for the hosts.

TEAM NEWS
Josh Dockerill (knee), Tom Lowery (knee), Connor Ogilvie (groin) and Anthony Scully (knee) all remain sidelined for Pompey.

The hosts are sweating on the fitness of Marlon Pack, who took a knock to the ankle at Wigan, while Kusini Yengi has returned to full fitness following his own ankle injury.

Jack Grimmer, Joe Jacobson and Jason McCarthy are all out for Wycombe, while there are doubts over Kane Vincent-Young and former Blues loanee David Wheeler.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Read the thoughts of John Mousinho and Jack Sparkes ahead of the game.

HEAD TO HEAD
Overall
Pompey: 6 wins
Wycombe: 5 wins
7 draws

At Fratton Park
Pompey: 3 wins
Wycombe: 2 wins
5 draws

TICKETS
There are limited tickets still available for the game, so click here to secure your seat before they are all snapped up.

If you are heading to the game, then read our matchday guide to find out what is happening around the ground.

OFFICIALS
Referee: Alan Young
Assistants: Andy Bennett and Leigh Crowhurst
Fourth Official: Andrew Hickman

MATCH COVERAGE
Supporters at home and abroad can watch the contest live by purchasing an iFollow match pass and visiting the match centre.

Domestic iFollow subscribers can also enjoy audio commentary from Andrew Moon and Guy Whittingham as usual, but will need to purchase a match pass if they want to watch the game.

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 key updates throughout the game on Twitter and a detailed blog via the match centre.

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 (not available online).

ALSO IN LEAGUE ONE
All games kick-off at 7.45pm

Blackpool v Derby
Bolton v Stevenage
Bristol Rovers v Port Vale
Burton v Wigan
Cambridge v Barnsley
Carlisle v Peterborough
Charlton v Exeter
Cheltenham v Fleetwood
Leyton Orient v Lincoln
Northampton v Reading
Oxford v Shrewsbury

LAST MEETING

Match Previews

Match Reports

Pompey 2 Wycombe 1

Shaughnessy nets stoppage-time winner

3 October 2023

Colby Bishop scores for Pompey against Wycombe Wanderers at Fratton Park — Photo: Jason Brown/Pro Sports Images

Conor Shaughnessy headed home in stoppage-time as Pompey once again battled from behind to beat Wycombe and stay top of the League One table.

The visitors had stunned Fratton Park by taking the lead through Josh Scowen in a first half that was otherwise controlled by the hosts.

They had not turned that into meaningful openings, but that changed after the break and Colby Bishop eventually levelled.

And the ground erupted right at the death when Shaughnessy rose highest in the box to score his first Blues goal.

John Mousinho made one enforced change from the side that won on the road at Wigan on Saturday.

Marlon Pack injured his ankle in the challenge that saw Charlie Wyke sent off, so Tino Anjorin was handed a full debut and Joe Morrell took the captain’s armband.

The hosts looked to make a fast start and soon began to apply pressure, but were struggling to get through and test Max Stryjek.

Garath McCleary flashed a shot wide at the other end, but it was still against the run of play when the Chairboys broke the deadlock.

Luke Leahy swung in a corner – their only one of the first half – and Scowen got between a couple of players to convert it from close range.

Pompey were seeing plenty of the ball as they tried to hit back, but their attacks were too often fizzling out in the final third.

A dangerous delivery from Abu Kamara was nodded behind by Leahy before it could reach Paddy Lane at the back post.

There were also a series of corners from Jack Sparkes that Wycombe did well to get away from danger.

And when Stryjek did not get a clean punch on one of those centres, the ball would not quite land right for Alex Robertson to get a shot away.

Half Time: Pompey 0 Wycombe 1

The hosts made a fast start to the second half and when a Joe Rafferty cross drifted towards goal, it had to be turned over by Stryjek.

Sparkes then swung in another excellent corner, but again Wanderers were able to get the ball to safety.

And a good chance was wasted when Anjorin received a pass from Rafferty in space and fired over the bar.

Mousinho freshened things up with a substitution on 56 minutes, as Anjorin made way for Christian Saydee.

Pompey were inches away from levelling the contest moments later, but a stretching Kamara could only turn the ball wide after meeting Lane’s drilled delivery across the face of goal.

And they finally made their pressure count when Kamara raced onto a Sparkes throw and cut the ball back for BISHOP to poke home.

But the hosts received a blow when Robertson was booked for a high boot, ruling him out of Saturday’s clash with Port Vale.

The Blues were still winning plenty of corners and one from the Australian loanee was nodded narrowly past his own post by Richard Keogh.

Poole was then shown his fifth yellow card of the season for a foul on Scowen, also ruling the defender out against the Valiants.

With the home side still in search of a winner, Gavin Whyte was brought on and Lane given a chance to rest up.

The chances had started to dry up, but there was an opening when Morrell was brought down just outside the box on the left.

A short free-kick was taken and when the ball eventually reached Shaughnessy, his shot had to be clawed away by Stryjek.

The display of eight additional minutes raised hopes of turning one point into three, but it looked as though the chance had gone when Bishop could not keep his header down from a Sparkes corner.

There was still time, however, as another Sparkes flag-kick was sent into the mixer and SHAUGHNESSY rose above Stryjek to head home.

Pompey (4-2-3-1): Norris; Rafferty, Poole, Shaughnessy, Sparkes; Robertson (Raggett 90+9), Morrell (c); Lane (Whyte 78), Anjorin (Saydee 56), Kamara; Bishop
Goals: Bishop 58, Shaughnessy 90+8
Booked: Robertson, Poole
Subs not used: Schofield, Swanson, Stevenson, Devlin

Wycombe (3-4-1-2): Stryjek; Forino, Keogh, Leahy; Pattenden, Scowen (c), Potts, Boyes (Tafazolli 66); McCleary (Sadlier 90+4); Hanlan (Phillips 80), Vokes (Taylor 66)
Goals: Scowen 22
Booked: Scowen, Leahy, Hanlan, Tafazolli
Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Low, De Barr

Referee: Alan Young

Attendance: 17,450 (277 away fans)