Portsmouth drop one position in Championship table following surprise result at Millwall - but it could have been worse
While Pompey wait to play Derby County on Monday night, teams around them at the bottom of the Championship have been closing the gap on them
Pompey have dropped to 20th in the Championship table following the completion of Saturday’s games.
However, it could easily have been a lot worse for the Blues had Charlie Kelman not converted from the penalty spot late into injury time to seal Charlton Athletic a share of the points at a rejuvenated Oxford United at lunch-time.
In the end, though, it was surprise-package Blackburn Rovers who leapfrogged John Mousinho’s side in the table as they wait until Monday night to play their game against Derby County at Fratton Park. Travelling to London to face a Millwall side with top-two amibitions, the Lancashire outfit reorded the biggest shock of the day by beating the Lions 2-1 at The Den.
Repeating the Blues’ victory in London last month, Michael O’Neill’s side came from a goal behind to record victory in the capital. Luke Cundle gave the hosts a 54th minute lead. Yet, the sending off of Zak Surge five minutes later changed the game completely. On 80 minutes, Mathias Jørgensen levelled for the visitors, before he popped up five minutes later to secure a memorable win that takes Rovers to 48 points from their 38 games played. That’s two points better off than Pompey, who have played two games less, though.
Earlier in the day, Oxford looked poised to climb above Pompey, too, as they headed to a fourth win in a row against a Charlton side that beat Middlesbrough away in midweek. Cameron Brannagan put the U’s in front on 57 minutes from the penalty spot. However, the Kassam Stadium side let two crucial points slip in injury time when Lloyd Jones was fouled in the penalty area by Ciaron Brown and Kelman made mistake with the resulting penalty.
Instead of sitting pretty on 41 points and outside the drop zone from their 38 games played, they instead find themselves back in the bottom three after West Brom secured their first win since December to beat Hull City at the Hawthorns.
The Baggies had gone 14 games without a win in the Championship before their game against a Tigers side with play-off ambitions. So when Josh Maja handed them a 24th-minute lead a real shock was on the cards. Ambitions of a rare three points where then boosted on 36 minutes when Charlie Hughes was sent off for the visitors.
And WBA made their extra man advantage count as Aune Heggebo doubled their lead on 67 minutes, before Isaac Price added a bit of gloss to the scoreline with a third in injury-time.
The Baggies now sit 21st in the table on 40 points, above the drop zone by a single point.
With clubs around Pompey picking up vital points as the Blues had the day off, it wasn’t looking the best of days for Mousinho & Co. However, next weekend’s opponents QPR did them a huge favour as they came from behind to beat Leicester 3-1 at the Kingpower.
Jordan James’ brilliant opening goal on 14 minutes handed the Foxes the early advantage. However, Harvey Vale equalised for the R’s just before half-time. And the important leveller handed them the monentum in the second half, with a Ben Nelson own goal on 50 minutes and a Ronnie Edwards effort on 58 minutes finding the next condemning Gary Rowatt’s side to their sixth defeat in 10 games.
Leicester sit second from bottom in the table as a result on 38 points - two adrift of safety and two points behind Pompey, who they play on April 18 at Fratton Park.
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