Sense of stability sets in at Pompey
CARETAKER manager seems increasingly like a temporary title for Andy Awford and Portsmouth’s stay in the Football League looks a little more certain as well.
Michael Drennan scored twice as Pompey claimed their third consecutive victory to move five points clear of the drop zone.
Danny Hollands opened the scoring and Jed Wallace had the final word as Abu Ogogo’s header for Dagenham & Redbridge failed to spark any sort of comeback.
It maintains Awford’s flawless managerial reign while the resounding scoreline did little to flatter the impact the caretaker has made.
Awford said: “That was some performance. They keep raising the bar, they’ve been absolutely superb.
“We are not quite there yet, but it is another big step although the gap is still five points.We will take some stopping.
A year after they took control of the club in the High Court the Portsmouth Supporters’ Trust have a big decision to make regarding Awford’s future but the man himself refused to be drawn. He said:“I don’t know what the Board are going to do. All I’m doing is concentrating on this season. We’ll fret about tomorrow another day.”
Pompey went ahead inside three minutes as from a corner on-loan Hollands powered Jack Whatmough’s knock down in from close range.
Hollands had already hit the post from another corner a minute earlier and the torment rarely receded thereafter.
They doubled the lead when Wallace beat goalkeeper Chris Lewington to Luke Wilkinson’s headed back pass and poked the ball to Drennan, also on loan, who converted a simple tap in at the back posts.
Although Pompey faded a little towards the first-half’s close, when Ogogo turned in a rebound after Trevor Carson had saved Medy Elito’s effort and Brian Saah hit the post, and their momentum returned after the break.
Drennan scored the crucial third goal turning in Wallace’s through ball with a fine finish from the edge of the box. Wallace scored a late fourth after Rhys McCabe dispossessed Wilkinson near the corner flag.
Dagenham manager Wayne Burnett said: “They were better than us in every department. They thoroughly deserved the win.
“When you give teams a goal start it is very difficult but I have no complaints. I can’t emphasise how much better than us they were. It could have been more than four goals, but if we’d got it back to 2-2 before halftime it might have been a different game.”