Reasons to be cheerful for Fratton faithful as Portsmouth rivals also suffer disappointing weekend
Pompey have slipped back into the Championship relegation zone - but rivals’ results still largely went in their favour this weekend.
John Mousinho’s men kicked off the latest round of games on Friday night with an abject 4-0 defeat at Derby, albeit still remaining in 21st place.
Subsequently, very few of their relegation adversaries managed to capitalise on the Blues’ set-back in Saturday’s fixtures.
Indeed, of the Championship’s bottom 10 sides, only Coventry managed to register a victory - and that was a 2-1 triumph over Hull.
The Tigers had actually led Frank Lampard’s side through Joao Pedro’s 43rd-minute opener, only to be pegged back by second-half goals from Ephron Mason-Clarke and Jack Rudoni.
It was a familiar story for Cardiff, Preston and Oxford United, who all relinquished winning positions in their matches.
As for Plymouth, they slumped to a fourth straight loss following a 2-0 defeat at leaders Sheffield United.
Wayne Rooney’s men fell behind to Gustavo Hamer’s 19th-minute opener, before Kieffer Moore wrapped matters up two minutes from time with a penalty.
It leaves the Pilgrims with one win and seven losses from their last 11 games to remain second from bottom as the pressure begins to pile on their manager.
In the case of Cardiff, they secured a 2-2 draw at Stoke to haul them out of the relegation zone, in the process leapfrogging above Pompey - although it could have been much worse for the Blues.
The Bluebirds fought back from falling behind to Andy Moran’s goal to lead 2-1 through Anwar El Ghazi and a Ben Gibson own goal.
However, there was heartbreak when, in the fifth minute of time added-on, Gibson netted at the right end to earn Stoke a dramatic point.
Similarly, Preston were cruelly denied victory at the death by promotion-hunting Leeds in the Sky-televised fixture.
Brad Potts appeared to have put the 15th-placed Lilywhites on the road to a 1-0 victory following his 23rd-minute goal.
However, three minutes into time added-on, former Pompey defender Jack Whatmough diverted Dan James’ cross past his own keeper to gift Leeds an equaliser in the 1-1 draw.
As for out-of-sorts Oxford, they were offered hope through Greg Leigh’s 17th-minute opener, before Josh Windass levelled 11 minutes later.
Wednesday then scored twice in the second half through Jamal Lowe and Djeidi Gassama to run out 3-1 winners, lifting them into ninth spot.
It signalled a seventh defeat in nine games for the U’s, who have won just once since mid-September as they continue to plummet down the league.
They presently stand in 20th place - one point above Pompey - having begun the season so promisingly.