I'm sure most of you have read the match reports now, and even if you haven't the result yesterday would indicate that we were deserved winners at Craven Cottage and that would be the case right from minute uno.
It starts something like this:
Fulham kick off, put the ball out of play, from the throw in Benjani runs down the left and puts in a cross. Wayne Scummer fails to clear it leaving Gary O'Neil to tap it in from the right post and send the Pompey fans mad from about 30 seconds in.
Of course, given Fulham's home record they weren't going to take that lying down and it didn't take them long to equalise with a very good goal from Malbranque it has to be said. So many times this season I have thought "Well that's it.. we're not going to win now!" after the opposition have scored however I felt differently this time. We never let our heads drop and once again we came at Fulham creating numerous chances which included former Fulham player Sean Davis missing something even I would have scored! But then they came back at us with Brian McBride hitting the crossbar. It was a really good game for the neutrals sitting in the stands either side of the pitch. But then, we aint neutrals are we?
A superb solo goal from Lua Lua restored our lead. He gave Zat Knight a torrid time yesterday and after he nodded the ball past the hapless Knight his pace carried him to the goal and his cool finish left Jamie Ashdown lookalike Mark Crossley cursing his defence again. The party in the condusive away end erupted once again and the chants of "We are staying up!" belted out to drown out any (non-existant) Fulham "noise". Being the miserable git I am, I still refuse to sing that until we are mathmatically safe!
It stayed 2-1 until half time and the crowd were treated to some kids having their rubbish penalties saved and some cheerleaders in an attempt to raise the dead Fulham crowd 'coz believe me, we certainly didn't need it! The support at the Cottage was probably the best away support of the season, certainly at the games I have been to and I was there when we thrashed Sunderland and West Ham too. I find the quote "Portsmouth always bring good support to every game but I know that you will sing louder than them today" from Boa Morte in the matchday programme utterly hilarious after the racket we made yesterday. More on the support later though...
Back to the game itself and you just knew Fulham would create more chances and indeed Collins John had a golden oppurtunity to equalise following a mistake from our relatively solid defence but he put the shot wide much to our enjoyment in the stand behind him! And he, and the rest of his team mates would be punished for that miss as after a rare stroke of luck, Gary O'Neil's shot hit Christanval on the back and looped over Ashdo.. err.. Crossley (Seriously! He looks exactly like an older Jamie Ashdown!). Cue more partying in the away end and if the result was still in doubt then Michael Browns sending off for a horror lunge on Davis would have erased them despite Helguson missing a sitter, and then another one as our defence got a bit sloppy.
As for the man of the match, I'm not sure as it could go to quite a few players. Primus won most things in the air against McBride and Helguson and we know how good their arial threat is, D'Alessandro gave Fulhams defence a torrid time down the left, Gary O'Neil had a great game, Lua Lua was very effective and even Benjani played a pivotal role crossing for the first goal, winning the flick-on header for Lua Lua for the second and he did his fair share of defending too. It's too close to call this time around but it was a terrific performance all around despite a few lapses at the back which need to be sorted prompto. That result is also our first double of the season.. if any Fulham fans are reading this, any Premiership team we've done the double over have been relegated... just a thought!
On a final note, the crowd started chanting Harry Redknapps name yesterday. That's fine by me, it's their choice and Harry did acknowledge the support. I chose not to join in because the regulars among you will know that I won't forgive Redknapp for his crimes of last year unless he keeps us in this league. Until then I will continue to back the team 100% regardless of who is picked.
But Mr. Redknapp, you are fast redeeming yourself.
It starts something like this:
Fulham kick off, put the ball out of play, from the throw in Benjani runs down the left and puts in a cross. Wayne Scummer fails to clear it leaving Gary O'Neil to tap it in from the right post and send the Pompey fans mad from about 30 seconds in.
Of course, given Fulham's home record they weren't going to take that lying down and it didn't take them long to equalise with a very good goal from Malbranque it has to be said. So many times this season I have thought "Well that's it.. we're not going to win now!" after the opposition have scored however I felt differently this time. We never let our heads drop and once again we came at Fulham creating numerous chances which included former Fulham player Sean Davis missing something even I would have scored! But then they came back at us with Brian McBride hitting the crossbar. It was a really good game for the neutrals sitting in the stands either side of the pitch. But then, we aint neutrals are we?
A superb solo goal from Lua Lua restored our lead. He gave Zat Knight a torrid time yesterday and after he nodded the ball past the hapless Knight his pace carried him to the goal and his cool finish left Jamie Ashdown lookalike Mark Crossley cursing his defence again. The party in the condusive away end erupted once again and the chants of "We are staying up!" belted out to drown out any (non-existant) Fulham "noise". Being the miserable git I am, I still refuse to sing that until we are mathmatically safe!
It stayed 2-1 until half time and the crowd were treated to some kids having their rubbish penalties saved and some cheerleaders in an attempt to raise the dead Fulham crowd 'coz believe me, we certainly didn't need it! The support at the Cottage was probably the best away support of the season, certainly at the games I have been to and I was there when we thrashed Sunderland and West Ham too. I find the quote "Portsmouth always bring good support to every game but I know that you will sing louder than them today" from Boa Morte in the matchday programme utterly hilarious after the racket we made yesterday. More on the support later though...
Back to the game itself and you just knew Fulham would create more chances and indeed Collins John had a golden oppurtunity to equalise following a mistake from our relatively solid defence but he put the shot wide much to our enjoyment in the stand behind him! And he, and the rest of his team mates would be punished for that miss as after a rare stroke of luck, Gary O'Neil's shot hit Christanval on the back and looped over Ashdo.. err.. Crossley (Seriously! He looks exactly like an older Jamie Ashdown!). Cue more partying in the away end and if the result was still in doubt then Michael Browns sending off for a horror lunge on Davis would have erased them despite Helguson missing a sitter, and then another one as our defence got a bit sloppy.
As for the man of the match, I'm not sure as it could go to quite a few players. Primus won most things in the air against McBride and Helguson and we know how good their arial threat is, D'Alessandro gave Fulhams defence a torrid time down the left, Gary O'Neil had a great game, Lua Lua was very effective and even Benjani played a pivotal role crossing for the first goal, winning the flick-on header for Lua Lua for the second and he did his fair share of defending too. It's too close to call this time around but it was a terrific performance all around despite a few lapses at the back which need to be sorted prompto. That result is also our first double of the season.. if any Fulham fans are reading this, any Premiership team we've done the double over have been relegated... just a thought!
On a final note, the crowd started chanting Harry Redknapps name yesterday. That's fine by me, it's their choice and Harry did acknowledge the support. I chose not to join in because the regulars among you will know that I won't forgive Redknapp for his crimes of last year unless he keeps us in this league. Until then I will continue to back the team 100% regardless of who is picked.
But Mr. Redknapp, you are fast redeeming yourself.