FITTER GRAHAM SINKS POMPEY
TONY Mowbray told Danny Graham to ‘get fitter’ earlier this season and the Blackburn boss was repaid in the three-goal defeat of pitiful Portsmouth.
Goals from Bradley Dack, Graham and Craig Conway saw Rovers win the first ever third-tier meeting of the two sides.
Graham ended his sevengame goal drought in the teeming rain at Ewood Park to condemn Pompey to a fourth away defeat in five.
“It was an important result for us,” Mowbray said.
“It was nice to see us score three as we’ve found goalscoring difficult. I’m pleased for Danny.
“We’ve worked him extremely hard in training as I think he needed to get fitter and work on getting in shape. His finish was a typical Danny Graham finish.”
A combination between Graham and Dack carved out Blackburn’s first opening, the midfielder firing wide from the top of the box.
Dack was slipped in again five minutes later by Richie Smallwood but Luke McGee saved low down with his feet, with Graham able only to clip the bar on the follow-up.
Pompey’s front line rumbled into life on the half-hour, a cross from winger Jamal Lowe met by Kyle Bennett’s swivelling volley that forced David Raya into a smart save.
Dack’s danger remained and he gave Rovers a deserved lead in the 38th minute.
Harry Chapman caught Dion Donohue dozing to nick possession on halfway line, drive into space and unselfishly play Dack in on goal.
The former Gillingham man grabbed his second of the week with a powerful finish into the roof of the net from eight yards out.
Pompey remained hopelessly off the pace and Graham struck just before the hourmark. Derrick Williams swung a left-footed ball into Graham’s feet from deep, which the striker deftly trapped and planted into the far corner.
Five minutes from time Dominic Samuel kicked out at Christian Burgess with the pair chasing a loose ball, which the referee adjudged as a red card.
Huge puddles began to emerge in the latter stages, which saw a hoof downfield hold up to such an extent that Conway could run 60 yards to collect it and chip the keeper.
Kenny Jackett’s side suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time this season and the Pompey boss was aggrieved at the display.
“Blackburn looked more solid than us and made far fewer errors,” Jackett said.
“It was a really poor mistake for us for the first goal, Dion Donohue turned in his own half and you have to be 100 percent certain of yourself to do that. “If they score against you it should be something special rather than a turn inside.”