Referee handed Southampton v Portsmouth posting after Fratton controversy with officials appointed
The EFL have confirmed the appointment of the key men who could have a major impact in the south-coast derby - with one figure already facing criticism after a Pompey Championship game this term.
The EFL have confirmed the officials who will take charge of the south-coast derby on Sunday.
And there’s a role for a figure who’s been at the centre of Pompey controversy already this season in the Championship.
South-coast derby official caused Fratton anger this season
The referee appointments for this weekend’s fixtures landed this morning, with eyes firmly on the men charged with keeping order of the high noon meeting at St Mary’s Stadium.
It will be Matthew Donohue who referees the game, with Richard Woodward and Jacob Graham handed roles as his assistants.
It’s the fourth official who Pompey fans will be familiar with, however, with Stephen Martin handed the job of maintaining calm on the touchline.
If you needed reminding, Martin was the man who took charge of the Blues’ only league defeat this season, when they fell to a 2-1 Fratton reverse against Norwich City last month.
The Staffordshire-born man found himself firmly under the spotlight when he failed to award a late spot-kick, when Connor Ogilvie went down in the box under a challenge from Jacob Wright.
Martin didn’t point to the spot to the fury of the home crowd, with Ogilvie later himself adamant he was caught by the Canaries man and replays appearing to confirm that stance.
Mousinho was left fuming at the failure to give the penalty and was told to ‘shut up and sit down’ by fourth official Ben Atkinson over what he felt was refereeing inconsistencies.
Martin’s decision was branded ‘strange’ and ‘poor’ from the Pompey boss, who felt it was a ‘definite penalty’ before seeking an explanation over the decision.
Mousinho said at the time: ‘I thought it was a penalty on Connor. As soon as he blew the whistle I thought he was going to give the penalty.
‘I thought we deserved it, I thought we deserved it with the build-up of pressure and I thought it was a strange decision that didn’t go for us.
‘I thought that was the theme of the day, the penalty doesn’t go in and we don’t get a second penalty. John Swift’s one comes back off the bar and Wadds’ one at the end that he’s been burying in pre-season, he doesn’t bury it. That was the theme of the day.
‘There was definitely contact and ultimately he’s brought him down in the box, so I thought it was a definite penalty.
‘I’ll go and unpack it with the referee, but I thought it was a poor decision.'
Pompey have enjoyed little success under south-coast derby ref
Perhaps of slight concern for Pompey fans will be their side’s results when Donohue has been the man in the middle.
He has previously reffed six of their games over a six-year period - with the Blues gaining just a single victory in that time.
That came as Fleetwood were dispatched 5-2 in December 2018, while he also oversaw a 1-0 loss on the Fylde Coast two years later and the 4-0 Carabao Cup defeat at Brighton in September 2020.
Donohue took charge of three Championship games for Pompey last term. They were the draws at Middlesbrough and at home to Sheffield United in August and September, before Plymouth claimed a deserved 2-1 success at Fratton Park in February.
Southampton haven’t been too successful in games reffed by Donohue either. He was the man with the whistle three times for them in the 2023-24 season - a 3-1 loss to Bristol City, 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough and 2-1 win at Leeds.