The Blues braveheart who deserves a promotion
As Sean Raggett hauled himself to his feet, the flurry of hearty pats on the back represented gestures of gratitude, yet were shrugged away with characteristic nonchalance.
Dan Udoh was presented with a glimpse on goal, a cherished chance to reduce the 3-1 deficit with 11 minutes remaining, only for a thunderous block from Pompey’s centre-half to slam the door of opportunity firmly shut.
It was entirely fitting that, on the day the Fratton faithful saluted their heroes of yesteryear, a current club icon once more demonstrated why in the future he will occupy their number.
The 30-year-old is hardly a natural muse for a mural, while in a rebooted Hall of Fame now comprising one living inductee each year, he may never reach the front of the queue.
Nonetheless, the Blues braveheart and longestserving player undoubtedly remains one of the most popular performers in a talented team steamrolling its way back to the Championship.
Written off, sidelined, and ridiculed over the years, the dogged Raggett has fought back time and time again during five eventful campaigns on the south coast and, in this current evolution, is presently playing his finest football for the club.
Some still claim the Emperor continues to wear no clothes, stubbornly refusing to trust their eyes. Thankfully, others recognise that Pompey inhabit the third tier of English football, a level at which his rugged defensive strengths excel.
Surely the former Norwich man’s late surge is unlikely to see him surpass long-time frontrunners Marlon Pack and Conor Shaughnessy in the player of the season stakes, yet he has an enjoyed another fine year.
This may well be Raggett’s swansong, of course, finding himself among 15 players out of contract in the summer and facing uncertain
Pompey futures, irrespective of imminent promotion.
Fellow centre-halves Regan Poole, Shaughnessy, Ryley Towler and Tom McIntyre are all tied to the club for next season at the very least.
The likelihood is the Blues will still want to strengthen that department - quite where that leaves Raggett remains to be seen.
There is the distinct possibility the wholehearted defender has just four more matches left in Pompey colours. An unpalatable truth, admittedly, yet let’s appreciate him while we are able.
When Pompey win promotion - and they now require three points from the remaining four matches to achieve that tantalising outcome - it could represent a fitting finale for a player who has amassed 236 appearances and 17 goals for the club.
Certainly there would be a lump in the throat and many a watery eye should Raggett be handed a summer departure. Still, before then the Blues have promotion to secure and a League One title to claim.
Shrewsbury signified their latest obstacle, yet were comfortably negotiated 3-1, despite a curiously lacklustre display in which the majority of their attacking players were considerably below par.
Not even pairing Kusini Yengi and Colby Bishop in a starting XI for the first time and preferring the attacking strengths of Zak Swanson at right-back instead of Joe Rafferty could inspire a consistent goal threat.
Yengi, in particular, was poor, although, even on his off-days, remains a player capable of magic and won a penalty dispatched by Bishop
Written off, sidelined, and ridiculed over the years, the dogged Raggett has fought back time and time again during five eventful campaigns on the south coast
in the 42nd minute to hand the Blues a 2-1 half-time lead.
Before that, Mousinho’s troops had gone ahead after two minutes and five seconds when Shaughnessy’s cross from the left was stabbed past his own keeper by Chey Dunkley.
It heralded a strong start from the hosts, yet midway through the first half they noticeably became sloppy, the tempo deteriorated alarmingly and Jordan Shipley levelled in the 29th minute.
Still, through Bishop’s penalty, the Blues had their lead, although it took until the 77th minute - precisely the same time Owen Moxon rattled in his equaliser against Derby days earlier - for the Blues to seal their triumph.
Substitute Christian Saydee cleverly helped the ball on over the top and Bishop raced onto it for a first-time finish to make it 3-1, in the process netting his 20th third tier goal of the campaign.
There was still time for Raggett to weigh in with his crucial block on Udoh in a man-of-the-match display, head and shoulders above many of his disappointing team-mates.
He afterwards told The News: ‘I’ve just said it to Paddy (Lane) in there, we are potentially one game away and it has taken me five years of me trying to achieve this. It’s close now, definitely.’
And no Pompey servant could deserve it more.