LAST-GASP POMPEY TURN THE TABLES
KENNY Jackett was excited to finally be on the right end of some late drama as Portsmouth netted twice in the dying minutes to move to within three points of the play-off places and end their five-match winless league run.
Ike Ugbo’s early opener looked to have secured Dan Micciche his first league win as MK boss but Matt Clarke’s emphatic header levelled things up on his 100th Pompey appearance on 85 minutes.
And Conor Chaplin bundled home a 94th-minute winner to stun Stadium MK, as the hosts slipped four points adrift of safety.
Pompey lost to a 91st-minute Rotherham goal and two Bristol Rovers goals in the last six minutes last month, so Jackett feels vindicated.
“I’m really pleased for the players because we’ve had a few late goals go in against us recently and we know it’s not a nice feeling, so to get two back late in the game has sort of balanced that out for us,” said Pompey boss Jackett.
“It was a very open game and it could have gone either way. I’m delighted the players have been able to come out of this this tough period.
“We’ve got great games coming up and we’re going to try and put a run together to get to within those play-off places.”
MK took a deserved lead midway through the first half after Josh Tymon’s left-footed cross into the six-yard box met the on-rushing Kieran Agard. His effort was superbly saved by Pompey keeper Luke McGee, only for the ball to fall invitingly into the path of Ugbo who made no mistake, smashing home into an empty net to record his first MK goal since his January loan move from Chelsea.
Portsmouth rallied late on and were rewarded with an equaliser five minutes from time when Dion Donohue’s corner was met perfectly by Clarke inside the MK six-yard box.
He made no mistake with an emphatic header past MK keeper Lee Nicholls before four added minutes were signalled.
And Pompey’s Chaplin stunned Stadium MK in the dying seconds with a winner that appeared to come from out of nowhere after Donohue’s pass was deflected into the forward’s path and he poked home to snatch all three points.
Dons take on fellow relegation strugglers Oldham on Tuesday and Micciche is confident his side can turn things around.
He said: “I’ve had three of their players apologise to me at the at saying we were robbed.
“I sound like a broken record and I know that but I think everybody in the stadium can see we are improving, and I’ve not heard our supporters that loud for a while.
“We know we have to pick up points and we’re doing the best we can, we’re all in this together.
“We’re running out of games but it can turn very quickly. We have 18 cup finals left and each game is difficult at this level.”