Report by Ben Davis

The Fratton End was back in use for this televised game against high-flyers Swindon and the view from the top where I was sitting was magnificent, sadly Pompey couldn't make it a perfect night with a win. They had numerous chances but it was one of them games when nothing would go in. The result of not taking those chances saw the fans in the new stand chanting for the managers head, including chants of "stand up if you hate Fenwick" which saw the whole crowd in the ground stand up.
David Hillier was back although only as a substitute with the news that Mathias Svensson could be out for another two to three weeks. Otherwise it was the same side which drew with Huddersfield. Swindon had to include 19-year old keeper Steve Mildenhall as long serving keeper Fraser Digby had to drop out due to a chest infection.
Pompey started the better and the signs looked promising when Hall was denied by Mildenhall in the second minute from Aloisi's low centre from the left. Minutes later Aloisi bustled his way into the area leaving Culverhouse on the deck before lashing a right foot shot across the face of Mildenhall's goal for a goal kick.
After plenty of possession by Pompey Swindon began to play the ball around with Pompey's defence sticking to their 18-yard line. The dangerous Walters, who received abuse all night, was allowed too much space and too much time on the ball before attempting to chip Knight with the ball dropping onto the roof of the net.
Pompey's early momentum had disappeared and after 23 minutes Swindon punished them for some more slack defending. Walters, again allowed time and space, floated a cross into the area. Thomson got in Knight's way as he tired to claim the ball giving y Ben Davis
The Fratton End was back in use for this televised game against high-flyers Swindon and the view from the top where I was sitting was magnificent, sadly Pompey couldn't make it a perfect night with a win. They had numerous chances but it was one of them games when nothing would go in. The result of not taking those chances saw the fans in the new stand chanting for the managers head, including chants of "stand up if you hate Fenwick" which saw the whole crowd in the ground stand up.
David Hillier was back although only as a substitute with the news that Mathias Svensson could be out for another two to three weeks. Otherwise it was the same side which drew with Huddersfield. Swindon had to include 19-year old keeper Steve Mildenhall as long serving keeper Fraser Digby had to drop out due to a chest infection.
Pompey started the better and the signs looked promising when Hall was denied by Mildenhall in the second minute from Aloisi's low centre from the left. Minutes later Aloisi bustled his way into the area leaving Culverhouse on the deck before lashing a right foot shot across the face of Mildenhall's goal for a goal kick.
After plenty of possession by Pompey Swindon began to play the ball around with Pompey's defence sticking to their 18-yard line. The dangerous Walters, who received abuse all night, was allowed too much space and too much time on the ball before attempting to chip Knight with the ball dropping onto the roof of the net.
Pompey's early momentum had disappeared and after 23 minutes Swindon punished them for some more slack defending. Walters, again allowed time and space, floated a cross into the area. Thomson got in Knight's way as he tired to claim the ball giving Hay the opportunity to loop a header over the stranded keeper and he duly took the chance. His effort though resulted in a broken nose as Knight tried to claim the loose ball as it rose up into the air.
Hay went close again as he got in front of Whitbread to put a cross the wrong side of the post to Knight's relief. At the other end Pompey had a great opportunity to equalise. Pethick stormed through to latch onto Igoe's clever through ball and the wing-back collided badly with Mildenhall. The keeper laid flat out on the ground as the referee allowed play to continue. Amazingly not one Pompey player was quick enough to realise there was an open goal so the chance went with the referee eventually blowing up so the keeper could receive treatment.
Mildenhall looked in a bad way but bravely continued. Shortly before half-time it really should have been level. Hall caused the Swindon defence problems and found Aloisi totally unmarked in the area with Mildenhall out of the picture. However, Taylor managed to deflected the shot off the line, Pompey were hoping their luck would change in the second half.
Again Pompey started well with Simpson working well down the left and his low cross was well cut out by Mildenhall at Aloisi's feet. It was later discovered that the young keeper had to have three stitches in one his testicles at half-time.
The fans in the Fratton End were almost cheering a goal when Perrett dived in to meet Simpson's right hand corner. Mildenhall though spoilt the party behind the goal by brilliantly tipping the goalbound effort behind. On 55 minutes Pompey had an even better chance when Foster played a delightful ball into the area where Igoe looked certain to score. That man Mildenhall though used his feet to turn the shot over from 6-yards.
It was incredible stuff from the keeper who was making his first start as a keeper, he once came on for Swindon as an emergency striker! Pethick was next to be denied by him as he finger-tipped the wing-back's 30-yard effort over for another corner. Aloisi and Hall had half-chances which Swindon's defence scrambled away and with Allison unable to do anything up front for them Pompey kept up the pressure.
Igoe then came off for Durnin, a decision which didn't go down well with the home support. Even young fans next to Fenwick's dugout had yellow cards with "We want Fenwick out!" on them and constantly waved them at him whenever he left the bench to bark out instructions.
Eventually Pompey had the ball in the net but the linesmans flag came to Swindon's rescue. Foster's clever chip was latched onto by Hall in the area who knocked it in past Mildenhall. His celebrations though were short lived when he saw the flag up, yet Sky TV replays showed he was no where near offside so once again Pompey have had the rough end of a decision.
McLoughlin then replaced the hard working Foster in the 77th minute but it was increasing looking as though Pompey had fallen to another defeat. That would have been confirmed had Walters not shot woefully over when through on goal. Swindon's defence though scrambled away another cross by Simpson late on as Aloisi closed in, the difference on the night being Swindon being able to put their chance away which was something Pompey struggled to do with their host of chances.
Huddersfield claimed their first win of the season and two points separate them and Pompey but more importantly four points now separate them and safety. If Pompey don't start winning soon they will leave themselves with a huge task to avoid the drop. Things certainly won't be easy with a daunting trip to Middlesbrough and a trip to bury who have only lost once at home in over a year and a half. the opportunity to loop a header over the stranded keeper and he duly took the chance. His effort though resulted in a broken nose as Knight tried to claim the loose ball as it rose up into the air.
Hay went close again as he got in front of Whitbread to put a cross the wrong side of the post to Knight's relief. At the other end Pompey had a great opportunity to equalise. Pethick stormed through to latch onto Igoe's clever through ball and the wing-back collided badly with Mildenhall. The keeper laid flat out on the ground as the referee allowed play to continue. Amazingly not one Pompey player was quick enough to realise there was an open goal so the chance went with the referee eventually blowing up so the keeper could receive treatment.
Mildenhall looked in a bad way but bravely continued. Shortly before half-time it really should have been level. Hall caused the Swindon defence problems and found Aloisi totally unmarked in the area with Mildenhall out of the picture. However, Taylor managed to deflected the shot off the line, Pompey were hoping their luck would change in the second half.
Again Pompey started well with Simpson working well down the left and his low cross was well cut out by Mildenhall at Aloisi's feet. It was later discovered that the young keeper had to have three stitches in one his testicles at half-time.
The fans in the Fratton End were almost cheering a goal when Perrett dived in to meet Simpson's right hand corner. Mildenhall though spoilt the party behind the goal by brilliantly tipping the goalbound effort behind. On 55 minutes Pompey had an even better chance when Foster played a delightful ball into the area where Igoe looked certain to score. That man Mildenhall though used his feet to turn the shot over from 6-yards.
It was incredible stuff from the keeper who was making his first start as a keeper, he once came on for Swindon as an emergency striker! Pethick was next to be denied by him as he finger-tipped the wing-back's 30-yard effort over for another corner. Aloisi and Hall had half-chances which Swindon's defence scrambled away and with Allison unable to do anything up front for them Pompey kept up the pressure.
Igoe then came off for Durnin, a decision which didn't go down well with the home support. Even young fans next to Fenwick's dugout had yellow cards with "We want Fenwick out!" on them and constantly waved them at him whenever he left the bench to bark out instructions.
Eventually Pompey had the ball in the net but the linesmans flag came to Swindon's rescue. Foster's clever chip was latched onto by Hall in the area who knocked it in past Mildenhall. His celebrations though were short lived when he saw the flag up, yet Sky TV replays showed he was no where near offside so once again Pompey have had the rough end of a decision.
McLoughlin then replaced the hard working Foster in the 77th minute but it was increasing looking as though Pompey had fallen to another defeat. That would have been confirmed had Walters not shot woefully over when through on goal. Swindon's defence though scrambled away another cross by Simpson late on as Aloisi closed in, the difference on the night being Swindon being able to put their chance away which was something Pompey struggled to do with their host of chances.
Huddersfield claimed their first win of the season and two points separate them and Pompey but more importantly four points now separate them and safety. If Pompey don't start winning soon they will leave themselves with a huge task to avoid the drop. Things certainly won't be easy with a daunting trip to Middlesbrough and a trip to bury who have only lost once at home in over a year and a half.