POMPEY SEE OFF CITY AND DRONE
PORTSMOUTH overcame managerless Bradford – and a drone – to get their promotion push back on track with a thumping victory.
Ben Close scored twice in the second half as Pompey picked up their first league win since New Year’s Day.
The match was halted in the second half and the players ordered to leave the pitch because of a drone flying over Fratton Park.
Pompey assistant manager Joe Gallen said: “Apparently if there is a drone we have to stop, but it’s not something I was aware of.
“I used it as a chance to get on the pitch and talk to our players about who was going to pick up who as they just made a change.
“We are delighted with the win. It was thoroughly deserved.
“Maybe the first 10-15 minutes were close, but after that we stepped it up and played some good football.
“It’s a big confidence booster to get five and it could have been more but we’ll take the five.
“We feel very capable of a very big finish.
“No matter who you are, you have a dip and we’ve had ours.
“We are more than capable of going on a run of wins on the bounce and this win gives us a confidence lift.”
Former Bradford midfielder Gareth Evans gave dominant Pompey a deserved lead with a brilliantly struck 22nd-minute penalty following a foul on Oli Hawkins.
Gallen added: “Maybe we were slightly fortunate with the decision that gave us the penalty but there was a lot of pulling. It was a very good penalty from Gareth.”
Tom Naylor doubled the advantage from close range three minutes before halfattacking.
time. Play was momentarily stopped when a drone was spotted by the referee before Hope Akpan got Bradford back in the game in the 64th minute, stabbing home after a frantic scramble in the goalmouth.
But the comeback was short lived as Jamal Lowe bundled in Lee Brown’s cross.
Close made it four by stretching to divert Gareth Evans wayward half-volley beyond the diving Richard O’Donnell before grabbing his
second late on from a Ronan Curtis centre.
Bradford caretaker-boss Martin Drury said: “They are a very good side.
“They’ve got players who can hurt you on the break.
“They’ve got pace, power and quality. I changed it to try and get us back in the game at 2-0 down. we got a goal and I thought ‘here we go, we’re back in the game’.
“Then we get sucker punched straight away. I changed it to be a little more
I’ll take responsibility for that. We’re letting in goals. Today they were the sort we should be stopping.
“There’s been a naivety among the players – especially when we are attacking.”
PORTSMOUTH: MacGillivray 7, Thompson 8 (Walkes 79, 6), Burgess 7, Clarke 7 (Donohue 85, 6), Brown 7, Naylor 8, Close 8, Lowe 8, Evans 8, Curtis 7, Hawkins 7 (Vaughan 69, 6). Not used: B Pitman, Solomon-Otabor, Bass, Haunstrup.
BRADFORD CITY: O’Donnell 6, Caddis 6 (Mellor 45, 6), Anthony O’Connor 6, Knight-Percival 6, Wood 6 (Miller 62, 6), Butterfield 6, Akpan 6, O’Brien 6, Payne 6 (Clarke 72, 6), Ball 6, Doyle 6. Not used: Wilson, Anderson, Patrick, Maltby.