RONAN’S A SMASH HIT IN POMPEY’S STORMING START
DETERMINED manager Kenny Jackett has told his troops to keep their foot on the gas after Portsmouth extended their unbeaten league start to 11 matches with victory at Coventry. In a tight match at the Ricoh Arena, forward Ronan Curtis continued his fine start to life with Pompey by scoring the only goal. The 22-year-old, who is in the provisional Republic of Ireland squad for their Nations League games against Denmark and Wales later this month, curled home the winner on the stroke of half-time for his sixth goal of the season. It made it eight wins and three draws from Pompey’s opening 11 games, scoring 21 goals and conceding just eight. “There were minimal chances in the game, but it was excellent quality from Ronan to get what proved to be the winner,” said Jackett. “We need to keep working hard because we’ve had to do that for every single win so far and we want to keep it going.” Portsmouth’s promotion rivals Sunderland and Portsmouth played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light. Josh Maja’s eighth goal of the season in the 21st minute gave Sunderland the lead, but the game turned on 68 minutes when the Black Cats’ Bryan Oviedo was sent off for kicking out at Posh’s Marcus Maddison. Sub Joe Ward netted with a low drive six minutes later to level things up, but Jerome Sinclair fired the ten men back in front on 79 minutes. However, ex-Newcastle striker Ivan Toney shot home with six minutes left to earn second-placed Posh a share of the spoils. Accrington Stanley’s excellent start to life in the third tier continued as they recorded an impressive 1-0 win at home against inform Doncaster to climb to fifth place. Third-placed Rovers had won four straight league games, but they were brought down to earth as sub Offrande Zanzala coolly slotted home the winner with three minutes left. The game of the night was at Scunthorpe as the Iron saw off Charlton 5-3 in a thriller. Cameron Borthwick-Jackson scored twice for Scunthorpe and Charlie Goode, Josh Morris (pen) and Stephen Humphrys also got in on the act. Joe Aribo netted twice for the Addicks and ex-Iron striker Lyle Taylor scored their other goal. Barnsley slipped a place to sixth after being held 1-1 at home by rock-bottom Plymouth. Alex Mowatt gave the Tykes an eighth-minute lead, but Ruben Lameiras grabbed Plymouth’s equaliser six minutes before the break. OTHER RESULTS: AFC Wimbledon 0 Bradford 1 (Payne 45 pen); Burton 1 (Boyce 21) Southend 2 (Hopper 61, Cox 78); Fleetwood 1 (Madden 37) Wycombe 1 (Akinfenwa 56); Oxford 1 (Holmes 48) Luton 2 (Collins 55, Potts 90); Rochdale 0 Bristol R 0; Walsall 0 Shrewsbury 0.