Blues on the brink of new club record

IT’s been an outstanding run of defensive dominance stretching back seven weeks.

Now Pompey stand on the brink of setting a new club record for minutes without conceding a league goal.

The clean sheet against AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night made it six League One shut outs on the spin.

It’s also now a total

566 minutes since Craig MacGillivray’s goal was last breached by Blackpool’s Keshi Anderson, in the

64th minute of the 1-0 loss at Bloomfield Road on December 1.

Pompey’s post-war club record for league minutes without conceding currently stands at 636 - with Jamie Ashdown the unbeaten keeper back in March 2011.

Ashdown toppled Peter Mellor’s 33-year-old record from September 1978 at Bristol City a decade ago.

Now MacGillivray is nearing that landmark with League One leaders Hull City the side up next.

To reach a new post-war league club record, Pompey need to reach the 71st minute of Saturday’s match at Fratton Park without conceding.

Steve Cotterill was the manager in the

2010-11 season with his side operating in the Championship as Doncaster, Barnsley, Crystal Palace, Ipswich, Scunthorpe and Sheffield United were defeated without conceding.

Pompey’s efforts under Kenny Jackett this season may have arrived in the division below, but has been made all the more impressive coming against sides vying with them for promotion.

Peterborough, Ipswich, Hull, AFC Wimbledon and Fleetwood have been conquered, while there was also a 0-0 draw with the Cod Army last month.

Now it’s Grant McCann’s side who stand in the way of yet another impressive landmark for Kenny Jackett’s tenure as Pompey manager.