Portsmouth fall to Norwich City defeat amid late Championship drama

Two first-half finishes made the difference as Championship football returned to Fratton Park against the Canaries, with their late charge just coming up short.

The Blues played with early adventrure before goals from Harry Darling and Josh Sargent did the damage before the break.

Then Colby Bishop saw his second-half penalty saved, as John Mousinho’s side increasingly ran out of ideas and were let down by poor quality in the final third.

Adrian Segecic raised hopes of a comeback as he drove home his second Pompey goal from 20 yards with six minutes remaining.

Then there was late action as Connor Ogilvie was booked amid a strong penalty appeal and John Swift hit the woodwork.

There was no way through though, and to compound Pompey’s misery they saw key man Callum Lang limp off with a hamstring injury after the break - after suffering similar issues last term and in pre-season.

The first half was a story of two dreadful pieces of set-piece defending totally undermining all of Pompey’s positive high-tempo play.

The Blues set about the visitors with purpose, energy and physicality from the outset, but were undone in the fifth minute.

Darling was afforded the freedom of the Pompey penalty area from Marcelino Nunez’s free-kick, to head home six yards out unopposed.

Nicolas Schmid then made a gaffe from his clearance with the ball worked to Josh Sargent, but the keeper atoned for his error by saving the striker’s finish.

Pompey looked to have levelled in the 13th minute but Vladan Kovacevic somehow kept out Regan Poole’s back-post volley.

Seconds later Norwich had a second as Darling’s long throw was flicked on with Sargent applying the final touch.

Pompey were still pushing but making uncharacteristic errors at the back before Bishop was freed by Callum Lang’s reverse pass - but Jack Stacey recovered and got the final touch.

Appeals for a Pompey penalty 10 minutes before the break fell on deaf ears, as Jose Cordoba and Lang tussled in the box.

Nunez then blazed narrowly over from 25 yards at the end of a frustrating first half.

Pompey were dealt a huge blow in the 57th minute, after Lang went off with a hamstring after a tackle from Mirko Topic.

Adrian Segecic had been on the game’s periphery but tried to inject life into proceedings when he let fly with a rising effort from 25 yards, which Kovacevic tipped over in eye-catching fashion.

Then Murphy crossed with the ball just evading Bishop at the near post and Segecic, as he battled for the loose ball.

The winger was then replaced by Thomas Waddingham, with Jordan Williams off for Zak Swanson.

Segecic dragged Pompey back into the game with six minutes left, as he angled in a daisycutter from 20 yards.

The fourth official then indicated a whopping 10 minutes of stoppage time as the Blues pushed for a leveller.

And they so nearly got it as Ogilvie appeared to be caught in the box by Jacob Wright, but the ref booked the defender in perplexing fashion.

Then Swift hit a delicious 20 yarder which looked to be on its way - but came back off the bar in heart-breaking fashion, as the Blues fell to defeat.