Portsmouth’s big Fratton Park claim ahead of south-coast derby showdown with Southampton
The south-coast derby is back and one long-serving Pompey favourite is expecting the kind of occasion at Fratton Park he’s not quite experienced before.
Pompey defender Connor Ogilvie expects Fratton Park’s bearpit atmosphere to be raised to levels he’s never seen before against Southampton.
And the Blues favourite told how he and his team-mates are ready to channel the intensity of a ‘fierce’ PO4 cauldron to their benefit in the south-coast derby tomorrow.
Ogilvie on Fratton: ‘Expecting something I haven’t experienced before’
Pompey lock horns with their foes from along the M27 at home in the league for the first time in 15 years, with Joel Ward scoring in a 1-1 draw back in 2011.
It’s been 50 years since Southampton have triumphed in the league on the Blues’ patch, though they did pick up a 4-0 Carabao Cup success with two divisions separating the sides in 2019.
Pompey go into the game decimated by injury with 10 players sidelined, though their league form has returned a decent 12 points from a possible 21.
Southampton have struggled after some decent early form under new boss Tonda Eckert, though they did arrest a seven-game league winless period with a mid-week victory over Sheffield United.
Whatever happens, it’s certain to be an occasion to savour for the high noon kick-off on Pompey’s turf, with Ogilvie anticipating the atmosphere reaching levels he’s not sampled in his five years at the club.
Ogilvie said: ‘I’m expecting more than I’ve ever seen before at Fratton Park, I’m expecting something I haven’t experienced before.
‘I think it’s going to fierce, I think it’s going to be an intense game. I’m just really looking forward to the game, I know the boys are as well.
‘You can feel it building, of course you can. Any derby is big, but this one doesn’t happen too often - now we’ve got the opportunity to do them.
‘When you walk around the city people are saying: “Just beat that lot down the road”.
‘I’m just buzzing for it, all the boys are.
‘A win after a win and a draw in the last two games would be make it a good week
‘We’re looking forward and we will do everything possible to get the result.’
Ogilvie’s previous south-coast derby experience was curtailed prematurely, when he was withdrawn in the 0-0 draw last September after a collision with Nicolas Schmid actioned by a shove from Southampton’s Tom Fellows.
A neck injury put paid to the 29-year-old’s involvement in the game, with Schmid fracturing his metacarpal and spending over two months out.
Ogilvie added: ‘Hopefully there’s no injuries this time, I can play 90 minutes and we come out on the right end of the result.’