Goals either side of half-time from a deflected Myles Peart-Harris effort later given as an own goal and a Liam Cullen strike earned Luke Williams’ side a point on the day after Matt Ritchie and Josh Murphy had caught the Swans cold with two goals against the run of play.
Swans boss Luke Williams however, will be wondering how his side did not pick up all three points on an afternoon where his side dominated from start to finish hitting the woodwork twice with over 70% possession and 21 shots at goal.
Portsmouth goalkeeper Nico Schmid would be the visitor’s hero saving spectacularly from Cullen late on as the Swans threw the kitchen sink at Portsmouth’s goal but it would be a point a piece in the end and a missed opportunity for the Swans to close the gap on the top-six placings as they drop to 12th in the Championship table.
A resolute second-half performance in midweek saw the Swans climb back into the top half of the Championship as Derby County were beaten 2-1 at Pride Park. First-half goals from Žan Vipotnik and Ronald earning the Swans victory against the newly promoted outfit despite a second-half comeback from the hosts
Just five points off the play-off placings, next up for Williams’ side would be League One champions Portsmouth. A side lying at the foot of the division but on a high after picking up their first home victory of the season in their last match-up, a 3-1 victory against Preston North End.
A longer-than-expected rest, however, for the South Coast side has seen a three-week gap since John Mousinho’s side’s last fixture due to the elements seeing two games in a row called off.
Having rotated his squad in midweek, Williams welcomed back Joe Allen and Josh Key to his starting eleven. Harry Darling passed a late fitness test after being forced off in midweek, whilst Eom Ji-Sung returned to the bench having been out for six weeks with a knee injury suffered on international duty with South Korea.
In front of a vocal home support, it would be the home side who would enjoy the brighter start to the match.
Matt Grimes’ cross from the left finding Harry Darling whose looping header at the back post would land just over the crossbar.
The Swans would come close again minutes later as they would look to dictate the tempo of the match. Another inch-perfect delivery from the Swans skipper this time finding Allen who beat his marker to head wide of the near post when well-placed.
After probing for the first quarter, against the run of play, though, it would be the visitors who would take an unexpected lead. Former Newcastle winger Ritchie was first to react to tap home Josh Murphy’s low cross in the Swansea six-yard box after the Wideman had beaten Josh Key on the right-hand side.
Despite the away side’s new-found confidence, it would be the Swans who would react well to going behind. Josh Tymon found room on the left before picking out an unmarked Liam Cullen on the penalty spot. The Wales striker though would always be struggling to control his header, which would sail over the crossbar.
It proved to be a turning point as the visitors would be clinical with their own opportunities despite seeing less of the ball. Murphy slotting home from an acute angle on the stroke of half-time to double Pompey’s lead.
In a frantic finish to the first 45, the Swans would crucially reply with a strike of their own deep into stoppage time. Peart Harris looked like he had bagged his second of the season sliding home from Ronald’s cross only for the ball to go in off unfortunate defender Ogilivie into the back of the net to leave the match delicately placed.
The Swans fans wouldn’t care though if it was to provide the platform to mount a comeback after the break and Williams’ side really should have been on level terms five minutes into the second-half.
Josh Key would link well with Allen before squaring the ball to the edge of the six-yard box where Peart-Harris would thunder an effort against the crossbar. The rebound would only be half-cleared to Cullen who would see his snapshot brilliantly saved by visiting goalkeeper Nico Schmid.
It would only be a short reprieve for Portsmouth, however, as Cullen was not to be denied minutes later firing home Peart-Harris’ neat cross first time into the bottom right-hand corner past a helpless Schmid to level the scoreline.
Substitute Eom nearly flipped the contest on its head side footing Josh Tymon’s left-wing pull back wide of the post, whilst Schmid would produce a one-handed save of the highest quality to deny Cullen’s powerful half-volley as the Swans piled on the pressure.
Florian Bianchini would also see a late chance drift past the far post, whilst at the other end the visitors could have stolen a winner themselves with Christian Saydee fluffing his lines with the Swans goal gaping. The match, though, would finish level with a point a piece shared.
Swansea X1
Lawrence Vigouroux, Josh Tymon, Josh Key, Harry Darling, Ben Cabango, Matt Grimes (captain), Joe Allen (Eom Ji-Sung 64), Myles Peart-Harris, Ronald (Azeem Abdulai 72), Liam Cullen, Žan Vipotnik (Florian Bianchini 72).
Gonçalo Franco
Portsmouth X1
Nicholas Schmid, Terry Devlin, Connor Ogilivie, Marlon Pack (captain), Regan Poole, Andre Dozzell, Freddie Potts, Josh Murphy (Paddy Lane 80), Callum Lang, Matt Richie (Christian Saydee 66), Colby Bishop (Mark O’Mahony 54 (Harvey Blair 66)).
[Lead image: Swansea City FC]
