Neil Allen's verdict after Portsmouth win at Oxford United

The News, Portsmouth

Pompey 2 Oxford United 0: Neil Allen's verdict

Transcript

00:00Hello, greetings from the Kassam Stadium where we're reflecting on our first Pompey win away from home since mid-October it is, actually.

00:12So, Pompey won 2-0, as I'm sure you're thoroughly and well aware.

00:16It wasn't a very good game, but it's a case of who cares?

00:22But also, that's not to say that Pompey didn't deserve the win.

00:25They clearly deserved the win because they scored twice and had very few opportunities.

00:30It was just a poor match, really. It bogged down a bit.

00:34It wasn't a day for attacking players or creativity whatsoever.

00:37And again, this is from both sides.

00:39But Pompey, particularly the finish from Marco Mane at the end there, they won the game and deserved it.

00:46The last time Pompey won away from home in any competition, that was 13 games ago, which is just staggering, really.

00:54And as I said last week, and I know some people criticised Pompey for not winning, and they didn't win last week.

01:00But the performance was something to get really encouraged by.

01:06I don't want to say excited, but really encouraged by the performance last week at Sheffield United.

01:11Today, the performance wasn't as good, but Pompey got the win.

01:14But you can see it's been coming because they are improving, aren't they, really?

01:17They've come out of the transfer window stronger.

01:19And I'll get on to Hayden Matthews in a minute, who was clearly a man of the match.

01:23And they're going quite nicely now. Successive victories as well.

01:29We don't know where they are in the league at the moment, because teams are playing as we speak.

01:32Pompey was the earlier kicker.

01:34So, it's today's game. Very few opportunities to score.

01:38Pompey broke the deadlock just after half-time from a corner from Matt Ritchie from the right.

01:44After a scramble, Atkinson turned it across goal.

01:47And there was Andre Dezel, one yard, two yards out to tap home.

01:52He said afterwards he didn't know quite what not to do because he didn't score many goals.

01:55But, yeah, it was a great one.

01:57And then Pompey had to dig deep a bit after that, defensively.

02:01But that's where Hayden Matthews was outstanding.

02:04Towering presence. Everything he did was superb.

02:08At one moment in the first half, I think it was at half-time, he took the ball on his chest as the ball came across to him high.

02:15And he took it on his chest beautifully.

02:17He's got something about him and a really impressive display this early on.

02:21I've seen some people writing him off before he even arrived at the Football Club.

02:25But, as ever, let's judge a player when he's here.

02:27A really strong performance from him.

02:29Particularly in the absence of Shocknessy as well, a rare clean sheet for Pompey.

02:33He's only 20, still very early.

02:36But you have to give credit where credit is due.

02:38Outstanding there at the back.

02:40I can't think of anything he did wrong, actually.

02:42Even Ogilvy had an outstanding game, even he made a mistake very late on.

02:46But, yeah, so that was a strong performance from him.

02:50It wasn't a day for attackers from either side.

02:56It wasn't a day for attackers from either side.

02:58So Pompey's attackers didn't do a lot.

03:01But it was a day for other people.

03:03Isaac Hayden, for me, his best performance in a Pompey shirt.

03:07I've already mentioned Matthews, I've already mentioned Ogilvy.

03:10And Dezeligan, he's really grown into his role, isn't he?

03:12So it was a day for those sort of players.

03:15And the second goal, Pompey had to dig in a bit, really.

03:19Under a bit of pressure at times, very late on.

03:21But they defended very, very well.

03:23By the way, I'd like to say what a wonderful save from Smith in the 71st minute.

03:28Point blank from the Oxford No. 7.

03:32I don't know how he managed to stop that going.

03:34It was crucial.

03:35Anyway, so Pompey dug in and then in stoppage time, five minutes in,

03:40Terry Devlin headed the ball forward.

03:43And Omani took it.

03:45And it was a wonderful, wonderful finish.

03:47Absolute top-class finish, really.

03:50It was difficult, except for the ball that's been headed forward.

03:53It wasn't passed forward.

03:54It was headed forward.

03:55And his touch.

03:56And then he's finished past the Advanced Keeper.

03:58Top-class.

03:59And Pompey win 2-0.

04:01Omani's first appearance in two and a half months after being injured.

04:04So good game for him as well.

04:06So plenty to like.

04:07But Pompey now have ended that run of eight successive defeats away from home.

04:10Two wins in a row now.

04:13Massive, isn't it?

04:14I remember Massino said two games before Pompey played against Cardiff,

04:19Massino said they probably need like 20 points now to stay up.

04:22Well, that's six chalked off now.

04:24That's 14 left.

04:25So suddenly, it's looking very bright with some good games coming for Pompey,

04:28especially against fellow rivals at home at Fratton Park.

04:32So really encouraging.

04:34I'm sure everyone's happy tonight.

04:35So, yeah, it's been a long time.

04:38But we're going to go home quite happy talking about the game.

04:41So thoroughly deserve Pompey.

04:43Not the greatest of games, but frankly, who cares?

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