Well, the weather forecast is improving so the game should be on. It still seems a bit surreal to be seeing the Gulls play a club such as Portsmouth at the wrong end of League Two. Portsmouth won the FA Cup nearly six years ago, but then, in a period of just four years, the club entered administration twice, suffered three relegations and had seven different owners.
But in April 2013 a settlement between the club's administrators and its main creditor, Portpin, finally cleared the way for the Pompey Supporters' Trust to make Portsmouth the biggest community-owned club in Britain. However, the deal came too late to stop the club’s relegation to League Two.
From watching the likes of David James, Sol Campbell and Jermain Defoe in recent years at Fratton Park, Portsmouth fans faced the prospect of fourth tier football, and the club had to make a dozen summer signings without spending a penny on transfer fees. Even so, everybody was expecting Pompey to be challenging for an early return to League One rather than struggling against relegation, a not unreasonable expectation given the huge support they get at Fratton Park. But in football nothing is really that easy.
Recent transfer news:
Just before January’s transfer window closed, New Pompey boss Richie Barker gave defender Marcos Painter a contract until the end of the season, and extended the loan spell of Swansea right-back Daniel Alfei. Painter, 27, was nearing the end of his contract at the club. The former Birmingham, Swansea and Brighton left-back had made a total of 14 appearances since arriving at Fratton Park in August. Alfei, 21, had played four times for Pompey and will now stay at the League Two side until the end of the season.
Recent Torquay signings:
Danny Stevens, Millwall striker Aiden O’Brien on loan, Joss Labadie from Notts County, Manchester United midfielder Jack Rudge on loan.
Recent form:
Portsmouth: P6 W1 D4 L1 F5 A5 Torquay: P6 W1 D2 L3 F5 A8
http://weekendfootball.co.uk/analysis/f ... mescount=6
In their last game on Tuesday 28 January, Ryan Taylor's second-half penalty saw Portsmouth earn a vital away victory over fellow League Two strugglers Wycombe. Their line-up for that game was: Carson, Alfei, Painter, Padovani, Devera, Chorley, Barcham (sub. Ertl – 90’), Fogden (sub. Holmes – 79’), Jervis (sub. Agyemang – 87’), Taylor, Shorey. Subs: Smith, Bradley, Holmes, Ertl, Agyemang, Racon, Wallace.
In the Gulls’ last game, a week ago, they lost 1-0 at Oxford. The team was: Poke, O’Connor, Nicholson, Lathrope (sub. Bodin - 88’), Downes, Pearce, Mansell, Labadie, Stockley, Hawley (sub. Chapell - 72’), Benyon (sub. Goodwin – 81’). Subs: Tonge, Bodin, Cameron, Chapell, Rice, Cooper, Goodwin.
In the game at Plainmoor on 26 October, Winger Jordan Chapell scored after only 18 seconds but Torquay were unable to hold on to beat Portsmouth. Chappell's fifth of the season - a left-foot shot across goal - was the fastest in the Devon club's history. On-loan West Ham striker Paul McCallum should have doubled the Gulls' lead before half-time but he shot wide.
Pompey piled on the pressure and made the breakthrough with nine minutes to go as Ryan Bird poked home Jed Wallace's cross from the right to make it 1-1.
Referee:
For today’s game, the referee for the game will be Dean Whitestone, a policeman from Northamptonshire. His last game in charge was Dag & Red v Southend last Tuesday, which ended 1-1. In his last six games as referee, he has given 23 yellow cards and one red (yes, you read that right, 23 yellow cards plus one red card in 6 games)...!!
http://www.soccerbase.com/referees/refe ... ree_id=883
Today’s team news to follow.
Herald Express match preview here:
http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/P ... story.html
Useful links:
http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/ http://thepompeychimes.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
http://www.torquayunited.com/index.aspx
