RICHIE READY FOR TOP JOB
RICHIE Wellens admitted he wants the Oldham job full-time and after two wins in a row, he’s going the right way about getting it.
Prospective new owner Abdallah Lemsagam was present at Fratton Park to watch a victory that contained some swagger, with two goals from Eoin Doyle adding to steel when it was needed amid a tense finish.
Sending Oldham up to 18th in the table, the result also aided Wellens’ claims that he is the right man to replace John Sheridan, who was sacked last month, and he was unequivocal when asked whether he wanted to take the top job.
“Yes,” replied the interim boss, whose first game in charge was a 3-2 win over Peterborough with only 10 men.
“I don’t want to be out of the game and I belong in a football environment. It has been my life.
“If they give me the job, then brilliant. If not, then I need to be working in football because that’s what I am about.”
Doyle hit a post in the third minute and after Brett Pitman had forced a great save from visiting goalkeeper Johny Placide, the on-loan Preston man got his first, converting Craig Davies’ deflected attempt from close range into the roof of the goal.
Jamal Lowe hit an upright for Pompey in the first half but the hosts looked nervy at the back and succumbed again shortly after the break when Doyle lifted the ball in deftly after a mistake from Drew Talbot presented the ball to him on the edge of the box.
It was Doyle’s fourth goal inside a week for Oldham but when Pitman swept home a low cross late on, Oldham had to hold on through eight additional minutes.
“It was brilliant to watch,” Wellens added. “My heart was pounding at times but in the first hour, I was really comfortable with what I was seeing.
“They didn’t threaten our goal often but I’m just disappointed we didn’t take our chances to make it three or four goals.”
Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett conceded that Oldham’s first-half show put his men firmly up against it.
“In Craig Davies and Eoin Doyle, they had too much power for us early in the game,” Jackett said.
“We weren’t competitive enough and powerful enough ourselves in central midfield. With Jack Byrne coming in off the line, it supplemented an area when they had two forwards on all game.
“We could not get to grips with the power of their front two or impose ourselves in midfield. Those two things cost us.
“Either side could have got the first goal. It went to Oldham and then the confidence of our side, and particularly our back line, was affected.”
The game was marred by crowd trouble, with home fans entering the field of play during the second half, and Oldham supporters were led away to an alternative exit at the final whistle.