Portsmouth 2-0 Morecambe
Saturday 11 December
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Fratton Park
Sky Bet League One
Attendance: 15,001 (182 Shrimps)
Two goals either side of the break gave Portsmouth all three points on a wet afternoon at Fratton Park.
The hosts opened the scoring after 11 minutes with Marcus Harness firing home from close range, the 13 minutes from full-time, Connor Ogilvie netted his first goal of the season heading home Miguel Azeez’s corner.
On the 11th minute the hosts were in-front, a ball over the top by Ronan Curtis was picked up by George Hurst who rounded Kyle Letheren in the Shrimps goal before firing his effort onto the crossbar via Scott Wootton’s knee.
The ball dropped to Azeez only to see his shot come back off the post, but there was Harness to fire home from five-yards out.
Moments later, the Shrimps had their first attempt on goal. Cole Stockton with his back to goal managed to turn his defender before producing an effort which stung the palms of Gavin Bazunu in the Pompey goal.
With nine minutes of the half remaining, Stockton again found himself in the Pompey box, just as he was about to pull the trigger across came Ogilvie to deny the striker his 17th of the season.
The final chance of the first period fell in the favour of Danny Cowley’s side, a free-kick 25-yards from goal was taken by Reeco Hackett, but Letheren was behind it and gathered at the second attempt.
Half-time: Portsmouth 1-0 Morecambe
After the restart it was Portsmouth again who were on the ascendancy, a cross from the right by Harness was headed goalwards by Curtis, however Letheren was there to gather.
Stephen Robinson changed the pack just before the hour mark as an injury to Scott Wootton forced him off with Ryan Delaney coming on.
Then Jonathan Obika was replaced with Jonah Ayunga as Obika’s step-up from a long-term hamstring injury continues to take shape.
With 20 minutes of the game remaining, the Shrimps had another free-kick opportunity through Alfie McCalmont, his cross found Adam Phillips but the on-loan Burnely man could not find a away past Bazunu in the Pompey goal.
The hosts doubled their lead on the 77th minute as a corner from Azeez was headed home by Ogilvie.
With the clock ticking down, Phillips let fly from 20-yards looking to catch Bazunu unawares, but the Manchester City loanee was there to make a fantastic one-handed save, flicking the ball onto the crossbar.
Full-time: Portsmouth 2-0 Morecambe
Portsmouth: Bazunu, Williams, Harness (Harrison 80’), Curtis, Freeman, Romeo, Ogilvie, Hackett, Hirst (Marquis 69’), Raggett (C), Azeez.
Subs not used: Bass, Ahadme, Jacobs, Downing, Jewitt-White
Goals: Harness 11’, Ogilvie 77’
Bookings: Hackett 60’
Red cards: None
Morecambe: Letheren, Leigh, O’Connor, Wootton (Delaney 55’), Gibson, McLaughlin, Phillips, McCalmont, McLoughlin, Stockton, Obika (Ayunga 58’).
Subs not used: Andrésson, Jones, Wildig, Cooney, Gnahoua.
Goals: None
Bookings: Gibson 38’, McLaughlin 85’, Delaney 90’
Red cards: None