Portsmouth 3-2 Exeter City

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:

"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."

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
Match Stats
Live Text

Line-ups

Portsmouth

Formation 4-4-2

40Carson
2Moutaouakil
5Devera
31Racon
3N'Gala
6Bradley
11Holmes
16FerrySubstituted forErtlat 72'minutes
18Bird
23AgyemangSubstituted forConnollyat 76'minutes
35J WallaceSubstituted forBarchamat 69'minutesBooked at 90mins

Substitutes

1Smith
4East
7Barcham
8Padovani
9Connolly
13Ertl
20Cooper

Exeter

Formation 4-4-2

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

Post update
Match ends, Portsmouth 3, Exeter City 2.
90'+7'
Full Time
Second Half ends, Portsmouth 3, Exeter City 2.

90'+2'
Post update
Attempt saved. David Connolly (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
90'+1'
Post update
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Sonny Bradley.
90'
Booking
Andy Barcham (Portsmouth) is shown the yellow card.
90'
Booking
Matthew Gill (Exeter City) is shown the yellow card.
90'
Post update
Andy Barcham (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
90'
Post update
Dangerous play by Matthew Gill (Exeter City).
90'
Post update
Matthew Gill (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
89'
Post update
Dangerous play by Andy Barcham (Portsmouth).
89'
Post update
Hand ball by Joe Devera (Portsmouth).
88'
Post update
Attempt saved. Tom Nichols (Exeter City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
87'
Post update
Attempt missed. Ryan Bird (Portsmouth) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
84'
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.
84'
Post update
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Johannes Ertl.
83'
Substitution
Substitution, Exeter City. Tom Nichols replaces Alan Gow.
81'
Post update
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Ricky Holmes.
81'
Post update
Corner, Exeter City. Conceded by Bondz N'Gala.
80'
Post update
Andy Barcham (Portsmouth) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
80'
Post update
Foul by Alan Gow (Exeter City).

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