Match ends, Portsmouth 3, Exeter City 2.
Portsmouth 3-2 Exeter City
- From the section League Two
Portsmouth held off Exeter's comeback to condemn the Grecians to back-to-back defeats for the first time this season.
Pompey lacked penetration until just before the break when Ricky Holmes' lofted cross floated into the net.
Ryan Bird's header made it 2-0 straight after half-time and he repeated the trick on 71 minutes before City's Danny Coles replied with a header of his own.
John O'Flynn stabbed in to further raise Exeter hopes but Trevor Carson's late save denied City an equaliser.
VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Portsmouth manager Guy Whittingham told BBC Radio Solent:
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"I think we deserved the three points. I think up until they scored the first one we looked like we had it in control.
"We knew they wanted to come and play football. I don't think they really hurt us too much playing that way, the only time they did was when they decided to throw it long into the box.
"I think in difficult conditions we did pass it well and we got in some good areas. We keep working on that quality to get the ball in the box and it's getting better.
"You'd hope to see a game out a little bit more comfortably than we actually did. Having said that, once they got momentum up I think we stood up, we got our heads on things, we threw our bodies in the way, we cleared things and that's what you've got to do when you face conditions and a team that keep putting it back in the box."
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Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:
"I don't appreciate losing the game of course but I appreciate the type of game and finish to it, and I appreciate the way we played, so I have mixed feelings.
"We'd had an extremely good first half - with that really strong wind against us we played very, very sensibly, defended the goal and had counter attacks.
"It was us all over, and I still thought we were in with a shout even at 1-0 down at half-time."
"At 3-0 we kept going and you just don't know what's around the corner. Well done to the players who finished the game, they played on real instinct and real determination and I loved the way they played."
Line-ups
Portsmouth
- 40Carson
- 2Moutaouakil
- 5Devera
- 31Racon
- 3N'Gala
- 6Bradley
- 11Holmes
- 16FerrySubstituted forErtlat 72'minutes
- 18Bird
- 23AgyemangSubstituted forConnollyat 76'minutes
- 35WallaceSubstituted forBarchamat 69'minutesBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 1Smith
- 4East
- 7Barcham
- 8Padovani
- 9Connolly
- 13Ertl
- 20Cooper
Exeter
- 1Krysiak
- 4Bennett
- 3Woodman
- 14DohertySubstituted forGillat 75'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 6Coles
- 15Moore-TaylorSubstituted forO'Flynnat 73'minutes
- 7Sercombe
- 29Grimes
- 10GowSubstituted forNicholsat 83'minutes
- 25Parkin
- 11Davies
Substitutes
- 19O'Flynn
- 20Nichols
- 22Keohane
- 26Tillson
- 30Pym
- 32Wheeler
- 35Gill
- Referee:
- Oliver Langford
- Attendance:
- 16,168
Match Stats
Home TeamPortsmouthAway TeamExeter
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home8
- Away6
- Corners
- Home12
- Away7
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away7
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Portsmouth 3, Exeter City 2.
Attempt saved. David Connolly (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Sonny Bradley.
Booking
Andy Barcham (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card.
Booking
Matthew Gill (Exeter City) is shown the yellow card.
Andy Barcham (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Dangerous play by Matthew Gill (Exeter City).
Matthew Gill (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Dangerous play by Andy Barcham (Portsmouth).
Hand ball by Joe Devera (Portsmouth).
Attempt saved. Tom Nichols (Exeter City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Attempt missed. Ryan Bird (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
Goal!
Goal! Portsmouth 3, Exeter City 2. John O'Flynn (Exeter City) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Johannes Ertl.
Substitution
Substitution, Exeter City. Tom Nichols replaces Alan Gow.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Ricky Holmes.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Bondz N'Gala.
Andy Barcham (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Alan Gow (Exeter City).
Substitution
Substitution, Portsmouth. David Connolly replaces Patrick Agyemang.
Substitution
Substitution, Exeter City. Matthew Gill replaces Tommy Doherty.
Goal!
Goal! Portsmouth 3, Exeter City 1. Daniel Coles (Exeter City) header from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Arron Davies.
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Joe Devera.
Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Matt Grimes.
Substitution
Substitution, Exeter City. John O'Flynn replaces Jordan Moore-Taylor.
Andy Barcham (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Scott Bennett (Exeter City).
Substitution
Substitution, Portsmouth. Johannes Ertl replaces Simon Ferry.
Goal!
Goal! Portsmouth 3, Exeter City 0. Ryan Bird (Portsmouth) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the top left corner. Assisted by Andy Barcham.
Attempt missed. Alan Gow (Exeter City) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Portsmouth. Andy Barcham replaces Jed Wallace.
Attempt saved. Arron Davies (Exeter City) right footed shot from very close range is saved in the centre of the goal.
Foul by Ricky Holmes (Portsmouth).
Scott Bennett (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Bondz N'Gala (Portsmouth) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Corner, Portsmouth. Conceded by Jordan Moore-Taylor.
Attempt missed. Matt Grimes (Exeter City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Foul by Bondz N'Gala (Portsmouth).
Alan Gow (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.