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Jackett: Too Close To Call

Boss reflects on promotion race following victory over Rochdale

13 April 2019

Kenny Jackett
Photo: Joe Pepler/PinPep

It was not surprising to hear songs ringing around Fratton Park, with the home side cruising to a 4-1 victory over Rochdale.

But instead of a Pompey player being praised, it was one taking part in a match at the opposite end of the country.

Goals from Oli Hawkins, Brett Pitman, Gareth Evans and Jamal Lowe secured three valuable points in the battle for promotion.

Meanwhile, Coventry striker Conor Chaplin was helping his former side by grabbing the winner in an incredible 5-4 defeat of Sunderland.

It means that both sides now sit just two points behind second-placed Barnsley – with a game in hand – and Kenny Jackett believes the race is wide open.

The Blues boss said: “The table looks incredibly open between four teams and it’s close – I wouldn’t say that anyone is particularly in the driving seat.

“Along with Sunderland we’re a place behind Barnsley with a game in hand and you have to say that Charlton are in there as well.

"The table looks incredibly open between four teams and it’s close – I wouldn’t say that anyone is particularly in the driving seat."

Kenny Jackett

“We have to keep pushing and trying, with an attitude like the one we showed against Rochdale able to help us.

“It’s nice to have form at any time of the season, but it always helps if you can put together a sprint finish.”

Jackett was impressed with how his troops fared against a Rochdale outfit sitting precariously above the drop zone.

He said: “We’re really pleased with the performance and how our players responded to the pressure.

“You could see from Rochdale’s attacking formation that they didn’t come here to defend – they wanted to take the game to us, which suited us to a degree.

“They’re fighting for their lives down at the bottom, have changed their manager and been on a decent recent run.

“While we had to contain that, you also have to use the opportunities to hurt them and we managed to score four goals.

“When the ball turns over and there are spaces, we have the quality to exploit them and had a great answer to their threat.”

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