Portsmouth end away woe at Oxford United after medical emergency
Pompey banished their nightmare away run with a big 2-0 win at Oxford United.
Andre Dozzell grabbed his first Blues goal with sub Mark O’Mahony ending a run of eight losses on the bounce on the road.
The match was halted for a medical emergency in the home end, which led to a 30-minute first-half stoppage.
On the pitch, there was a injury blow for John Mousinho’s side as Callum Lang went off with a hamstring injury.
There was the big positive, however, of Hayden Matthews shining as he came into the side after Conor Shaughnessy’s injury.
Pompey took 18 seconds to create an opening as Josh Murphy intercepted a pass, but his 20-yard effort lacked purchase and was collected by Jamie Cumming.
A really good opening arrived for Colby Bishop after 10 minutes, but he planted his free header from eight yards after Josh Murphy’s cross.
The game was then halted for 30 minutes following a medical emergency among the Oxford supporters.
The players were taken from the pitch before paramedics treated the supporter and he was taken from the stadium in an ambulance.
The game continued with some smart keeping from Nico Schmid to head clear as Przemyslaw Placheta chased down the keeper.
Then Connor Ogilvie blocked impressively as Cameron Brannagan pulled the trigger from the edge of the box.
Pompey took the lead three minutes after the restart with there chaos in the Oxford box as bodies blocked shots, before Rob Atkinson crossed for Dozzell to tap in from a couple of yards out.
Oxford had penalty appeals turned down in the 53rd minute, as they appealed for handball when Ruben Rodrigues fired into Atkinson in the box.
Then Lang had a presentable opening in the box as Ritchie turned over the ball, but the Scouser’s powerful effort was at Cumming.
There was a major blow in the 67th minute as Lang went down with what clearly was a hamstring injury. He was replaced by Cohen Bramall.
Schmid then made a superb stop at Placheta’s feet after an arcing cross from sub Ole Romeny.
Sub Stan Mills missed a huge chance as he got his header all wrong from a couple of yards out as time ticked down.
Matt Phillips then put a free header over as seven minutes of stoppage time was announced.
O’Mahony settled it in stoppage time, slotting home coolly after Terry Devlin’s header into his path.