Portsmouth v Torquay

[lucy6lucy]

Quite surprised this match thread has not been done with less than 18 hours until kick off! I don't want to hijack a match day thread but more the fact a thread should be created considering the position we are in. Who would of thought it when they won the FA Cup in 2008 that Pompey would in Feb 2014 be playing Torquay in a League 2 match, with both fighting for relegation. I still feel we can win this.

[taunton_gull]

We're fighting for relegation?! I did wonder if we were playing badly on purpose!

[Gullscorer]

This is now the official match thread Lucy.

(I would have thought..)..

[Gullscorer]

Well, the weather forecast is improving so the game should be on. It still seems a bit surreal to be seeing the Gulls play a club such as Portsmouth at the wrong end of League Two. Portsmouth won the FA Cup nearly six years ago, but then, in a period of just four years, the club entered administration twice, suffered three relegations and had seven different owners.

But in April 2013 a settlement between the club's administrators and its main creditor, Portpin, finally cleared the way for the Pompey Supporters' Trust to make Portsmouth the biggest community-owned club in Britain. However, the deal came too late to stop the club’s relegation to League Two.

From watching the likes of David James, Sol Campbell and Jermain Defoe in recent years at Fratton Park, Portsmouth fans faced the prospect of fourth tier football, and the club had to make a dozen summer signings without spending a penny on transfer fees. Even so, everybody was expecting Pompey to be challenging for an early return to League One rather than struggling against relegation, a not unreasonable expectation given the huge support they get at Fratton Park. But in football nothing is really that easy.

Recent transfer news:
Just before January’s transfer window closed, New Pompey boss Richie Barker gave defender Marcos Painter a contract until the end of the season, and extended the loan spell of Swansea right-back Daniel Alfei. Painter, 27, was nearing the end of his contract at the club. The former Birmingham, Swansea and Brighton left-back had made a total of 14 appearances since arriving at Fratton Park in August. Alfei, 21, had played four times for Pompey and will now stay at the League Two side until the end of the season.

Recent Torquay signings:
Danny Stevens, Millwall striker Aiden O’Brien on loan, Joss Labadie from Notts County, Manchester United midfielder Jack Rudge on loan.

Recent form:
Portsmouth: P6 W1 D4 L1 F5 A5 Torquay: P6 W1 D2 L3 F5 A8
http://weekendfootball.co.uk/analysis/f ... mescount=6

In their last game on Tuesday 28 January, Ryan Taylor's second-half penalty saw Portsmouth earn a vital away victory over fellow League Two strugglers Wycombe. Their line-up for that game was: Carson, Alfei, Painter, Padovani, Devera, Chorley, Barcham (sub. Ertl – 90’), Fogden (sub. Holmes – 79’), Jervis (sub. Agyemang – 87’), Taylor, Shorey. Subs: Smith, Bradley, Holmes, Ertl, Agyemang, Racon, Wallace.

In the Gulls’ last game, a week ago, they lost 1-0 at Oxford. The team was: Poke, O’Connor, Nicholson, Lathrope (sub. Bodin - 88’), Downes, Pearce, Mansell, Labadie, Stockley, Hawley (sub. Chapell - 72’), Benyon (sub. Goodwin – 81’). Subs: Tonge, Bodin, Cameron, Chapell, Rice, Cooper, Goodwin.

In the game at Plainmoor on 26 October, Winger Jordan Chapell scored after only 18 seconds but Torquay were unable to hold on to beat Portsmouth. Chappell's fifth of the season - a left-foot shot across goal - was the fastest in the Devon club's history. On-loan West Ham striker Paul McCallum should have doubled the Gulls' lead before half-time but he shot wide.
Pompey piled on the pressure and made the breakthrough with nine minutes to go as Ryan Bird poked home Jed Wallace's cross from the right to make it 1-1.

Referee:
For today’s game, the referee for the game will be Dean Whitestone, a policeman from Northamptonshire. His last game in charge was Dag & Red v Southend last Tuesday, which ended 1-1. In his last six games as referee, he has given 23 yellow cards and one red (yes, you read that right, 23 yellow cards plus one red card in 6 games)...!! http://www.soccerbase.com/referees/refe ... ree_id=883

Today’s team news to follow.

Herald Express match preview here: http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/P ... story.html

Useful links:
http://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/ http://thepompeychimes.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
http://www.torquayunited.com/index.aspx

[ArnhemGull]

Got my colours out, and will be shouting the whole day for the Gulls...come on you yellows!!!

[taunton_gull]

For anyone going by train, I've just got on at Bristol to discover nothing is running between Southampton Central and Portsmouth due to a landslip. I don't know anymore than that but hopefully buses will be running.

[Gullscorer]

There are absolutely no lengths Pompey fans won't go to in order to help their team win..

[tktufc91]

From the national rail website.

A landslip at Botley means trains cannot run between Eastleigh and Fareham. Trains are being diverted, extending journey times by up to 30 minutes. Buses are running between Eastleigh and Fareham calling at Hedge End and Botley.
First Great Western services are being diverted via Southampton Central.

As for today, I can't wait. Will we win? I hope so.' I would gladly take a point as they have found a bit of form recently.

Crowd around 14,500 (700 Torquay fans) should make for a great atmosphere.

[Forest gull]

Come on United, today is the first day of the rest of our season. Three points please.

[Gullscorer]

GULLS FLOODED OUT...!!
http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... 32845.aspx

[Gullscorer]

Like I said earlier, there are absolutely no lengths Pompey fans won't go to in order to help their team win..

[Richinns]

Seriously - you could no write it could you!

WTF have we done to deserve the luck we have had this year?

[Gullscorer]

The least the ref could do would be to delay the game half an hour..

Before he starts handing out his yellow cards..

[PlainmoorRoar]

GULLS FLOODED OUT...!!
http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... 32845.aspx

Don't think we should pay for that nights stay! that's shocking!

you never know might give us the edge in the match

COYY

[brucie]

Its got nothing to do with luck - we are where we are. Hardly the best preparation thats for sure but should they really be affected by having four hours less sleep once the match starts?
Unfortunately I feel we get beaten rather easily in this game. Hope to be proved wrong. We seem to have signed a heck of alot of youngsters without any experience.
Goodness knows what the line up will be.
I will go for

Poke

O'connor-Downes-Pearce-Nico
Lathrope/Rudge-Mansell-Labadie
Benyon-Stockley-O'Brien