Portsmouth 3-1 Sunderland

Well what a good Finnish to the season at home. It seemed for the first half that as we were safe that we might lose this, we started with quite an attacking formation for once 4-3-3, but strangely I am glad to say when we went to 4-4-2- in the second half and went on to win from one down. But to me the highlight of the night was when Linvoy came on for the last five and it gave the game that added extra punch that we have been missing at home since the AC Milan.

It was good to go back to my old haunt and have a couple of drinks. The place soon got busy with a glow of relief that we were now safe for this season. The only downside for Mum was the lack of Stella. Well there is no accounting for taste.

The visitors took the lead against the run of play when Calum Davenport's cross was tapped in by Kenwyne Jones.

John Utaka fired in an equaliser a minute later and then forced Phil Bardsley to bundle in an own goal that gave the home side the lead.

Portsmouth went down the other end to score; Utaka finding Traore on the left and the defender drilled a shot past Fulop into the far corner to seal the win.

So except for pride and a bit more money, the game against Wigan there is not much to play for I still hope for a win, but I will be more interested in the 4 way who is going down matches that will be one afternoon in front of the box.

Portsmouth: Begovic, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Utaka, Davis, Mullins, Hughes (Traore 46), Kanu (Kaboul 46), Crouch (Primus 90).
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Nugent, Basinas, Belhadj.

Booked: Utaka.

Goals: Utaka 60, Bardsley 68 og, Traore 88.

Sunderland: Fulop, Bardsley, Davenport, Ferdinand, Collins, Tainio (Cisse 80), Malbranque (Edwards 54), Whitehead, Leadbitter (Murphy 85), Richardson, Jones.
Subs Not Used: Colgan, Reid, Healy, McShane.

Goals: Jones 59.

Att: 20,398

Ref: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).

New Owners? Are the getting round the table?

From SkySports.com

Portsmouth supremo Peter Storrie says he is in advanced talks to sell the club - and there will not be a fire-sale of players this summer.

The Fratton Park chairman says there are two interested parties looking to take over the club from owner Sasha Gaydamak.

He believes a deal will be done and dusted by the start of July and he is optimistic about the future.

Storrie told the News of the World: "I am in advanced talks (to sell the club) with two interested parties and believe a deal will be struck by the start of July.
Prepare

"That's when the transfer window opens and that's when we will need to know what money we have to prepare for next season. So I am optimistic about the club's future.

"I have heard all the doom and gloom stories about us being loaded with a mountain of debt which will mean we have to have a fire-sale of players in the summer. But I am telling you that's absolute rubbish.

"Sasha has been very open and honest about this. He made it clear earlier in the season that he would not continue to invest in the club and that he wanted to sell.

"And I can tell you he will lose a lot of money when he does complete the sale of the club - money that would make most people wince.

Long-term

"But he is prepared to do that because he is so concerned about the long-term future of this club."

Pub for Monday

The good old Traveller's Joy, my old regular haunt.

Safe!

So we are safe at last. Thanks to Newcastle loosing to Fulham, so Monday night I can relax a bit more and party! So I expect an announcement about a new owner very soon me thinks.

Will we be safe today?

If Hull or Newcastle lose today Pompey will be safe for another season. I would go with Hull I'm afraid but it would be nice if they both lost, but knowing how it goes with Pompey they will both win so hold on tight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So still not safe

I was hoping for a point at Blackburn, so with two games to go we must get about two points but I think we will need 4, never easy as a Pompey fan. Thankfully the teams below us are worse than us so we may not need the points, and by Monday it could all be over I hope. Play up Pompey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blackburn 2-0 Portsmouth

Blackburn all but sealed their Premier League place with a comfortable win over a Pompey side still desperately seeking the win they need to survive.

Morten Gamst Pedersen put Rovers ahead after David James had flapped under pressure from Christopher Samba.

Benni McCarthy made victory safe from the penalty spot after Hermann Hreidarsson had needlessly handled.

John Utaka wasted a chance to set up a tense finish when he hopelessly blazed over from the penalty spot.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce:
"This has not been a great escape, it has been survival we worked hard for over several games.

"We have been clear for a while and are nearly there with two games to go. Forty points guarantees nothing but I don't think we can be caught now."

Portsmouth manager Paul Hart:
"You have to be on your toes against teams like Blackburn. They are hard to play against but I felt we gifted them two goals and that is disappointing.

"I have said all along that there will be no complacency from us in our preparation. If anyone thought we were safe already then today is a timely reminder that is not the case."

---

Blackburn: Robinson, Andrews, Nelsen, Givet, Warnock, Diouf, Grella, Kerimoglu, Pedersen, Samba, McCarthy (Mokoena 83).
Subs not used: Bunn, Khizanishvili, Villanueva, Treacy, Olsson, Doran.

Booked: McCarthy, Andrews.

Goals: Pedersen 31, McCarthy 58 pen.

Portsmouth: James, Kaboul (Pennant 64), Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Johnson, Hughes (Kanu 53), Davis, Mullins, Belhadj (Utaka 53), Crouch.
Subs not used: Begovic, Nugent, Basinas, Cranie.

Booked: Johnson

Attendance: 24,234

Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire)

POMPEY 0-3ARSENAL (Youth)

Well I had this one down for a defeat before the game and I was right about that one.

Got to the pub nice and early, got the drinks and sat outside in the sun and waited for Mum. with only two tables it got a bit busy on the street. When Mum arrived there must of been about 15 odd people standing around the other table, one of them said to me and Mum " are you with us?" I said "no we are with ourselves" He said they were with an internet fan group the Vital Pompey and they had decided to meet up for an end of season bash And take some pics of the group, if you look at the pic below you will see Pompeygary (Me) and my Mum enjoying a pint in the sun on the right of the picture. It was a lovely worm day so we headed for the ground.

The first half we played badly with one up front and went 2 down in the first half, the whole team were quite pore. The second half we were all over Arsenal but they got a third and it was all over.

Pompey goalkeeper David James gifted Arsenal the opener when he fumbled Nicklas Bendtner's header into his net.

The Dane then grabbed a second from the penalty spot after Sean Davis was ruled to have fouled captain Andrey Arshavin.

Carlos Vela lashed home a third before Noe Pamarot was sent off for bringing Arshavin down when through on goal

Portsmouth manager Paul Hart:
"The boys are adamant that it was not a penalty for their second goal and I agree with them. There was no physical contact.

"I am not here to vilify referees. We have had a few decisions go against us recently but it is a tough life for referees and it is for us.

"Everyone around us in the table has lost today, so there is no change. We just have to look after ourselves."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger:
"I wanted to give a breather to some of the players

"I have no doubts about the younger players because I see them every day and what we work on, you could see that on the pitch today.

"We were sharp, composed and mobile with a great attitude."

---

Portsmouth: James, Pamarot, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson (Kanu 46), Pennant (Utaka 46), Davis, Hughes, Mullins, Belhadj, Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Begovic, Primus, Nugent, Basinas, Cranie.

Sent Off: Pamarot (78).

Booked: Campbell, Kanu, Davis.

Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Song Billong, Djourou, Eboue, Walcott (Bischoff 64), Denilson, Ramsey (Randall 82), Arshavin, Bendtner (Merida 77), Vela.
Subs Not Used: Mannone, Coquelin, Emmanuel-Thomas, Frimpong.

Booked: Arshavin.

Goals: Bendtner 13, 41 pen, Vela 56.

Att: 20,418

Ref: Lee Mason (Lancashire).

PUB

Drinks will be at The Milton Arms , yes this fine pub is a favorite of ours one of the few real pubs left.

Historic old Brickwoods pub which was almost demolished in the 1920s. The main bar consists of a long public bar which runs the length of the frontage and there is an old barn at the rear of the property which doubles as a lounge and function room, where live bands sometimes perform.




Football away fans beware - the pub is known to be very partisan when it comes to Portsmouth FC and the house is therefore not suitable for visiting supporters.

Newcastle 0-0 Pompey

So it looks like the fat man is singing for the Toon, and with the abuse he gave the Pompey fans I hope they go down now!
What a nervy night I had with the radio on, and I am very happy with a draw. And that bloody woodwork got in the way again!
This point will be almost enough for us, but not for the Toon.

Newcastle: Harper, Beye, Coloccini, Bassong, Jose Enrique (Guthrie 28), Smith, Butt (Gutierrez 71), Duff, Viduka (Carroll 64), Martins, Owen.
Subs Not Used: Krul, Barton, Lovenkrands, Edgar.

Booked: Bassong, Carroll.

Portsmouth: James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson, Davis, Belhadj, Hughes, Mullins, Nugent (Pennant 65), Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Begovic, Pamarot, Utaka, Cranie, Kanu, Basinas.

Booked: Hreidarsson, Johnson.

Att: 47,481

Ref: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).