Portsmouth vs Bury Preview

Last updated : 08 March 2013 By Jim Bonner

Pompey take on Bury at Fratton Park tomorrow knowing that a second successive victory will see them leapfrog their opponents in the League One table.

Team News

Shaun Cooper is available again but Sam Sodje serves the final match of his three game ban. Patrick Agyemang is set to continue up front after his loan spell was extended today but David Connolly will be assessed after taking a knock at Crewe last week.

Bury have two influential players missing in midfielder Tom Soares and defender Stephane Zubar. That means that ex-Pompey midfielder Valery Mezague could play against his former club tomorrow.

The Match

Last weekend's victory at Crewe was special. The demons of the 24 game winless run had finally been put to rest and you could see what it meant to everyone associated with Portsmouth Football Club.

There has been more good news this week as PKF have exchanged contracts with the Portsmouth Supporters' Trust which means that the club will be bought on the condition that April's court case goes PKF's way and Portpin are forced to give up their charge on Fratton Park.

That should mean a slightly larger attendance for tomorrow's match and a much happier atmosphere around the ground.

Of course, barring some miracle Pompey will be starting League Two with a points deduction next season but there is an incentive tomorrow to come off the bottom of the league and be replaced with Bury with any sort of win as Pompey have scored more goals than the Shakers.

Bury's recent form has not been good but their two most recent victories were at home to promotion chasing Doncaster and away at Swindon so they cannot be taken lightly.

However, given that they are struggling to score goals and seem vulnerable to conceding very cheap goals then there is every possibility that this Pompey team, one that has a much more settled look about it, can pick up another morale boosting victory.

Predicted Starting Line-Ups

Pompey

GK: Simon EASTWOOD

RB: Yassin MOUTAOUAKIL

CB: Ricardo ROCHA

CB: Gabor GYEPES

LB: Dan BUTLER

RM: Liam WALKER

CM: Johnny ERTL

CM: Therry RACON

LM: Jed WALLACE

CF: Patrick AGYEMANG

CF: David CONNOLLY

Bury

GK: Trevor CARSON

RB: David WORRALL

CB: Ashley EASTHAM

CB: Ethan EBANKS-LANDELL

LB: Joe SKARZ

RM: Craig JONES

CM: Zac THOMPSON

CM: Steven SHUMACHER

LM: Mark CARRINGTON

CF: Nicky AJOSE

CF: Craig FAGAN

Last Time: Portsmouth 2 Bury 1 (Division One - 13/02/1999)

Goals from Matt Robinson and the current Pompey manager in Guy Whittingham were enough for Alan Ball's men to win despite Avdiu's strike for the visitors.

My Prediction

The monkey on the proverbial back has been disposed of and the defence has improved in recent weeks. If Agyemang can reproduce the performance from Saturday and others Ertl's lead after he bossed the Crewe game I believe this will be another win for the blues.

Portsmouth 2 Bury 0