THE MILLWALL GAME UNPACKED

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Pompey Sound Podcasts 14 min 3 speakers 8 chapters transcribed

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What recent developments occurred in Portsmouth's match against Millwall?

Unknown 0:02

The latest Pompey news updates every day from the Pompey Sound News Desk.

Duncan Barkes 0:07

Portsmouth moved six points clear of the Championship relegation zone as Gustavo Caballero's strike 30 seconds into the second half teed up victory over promotion-chasing Millwall at the Den. An uneventful first half burst into life when Caballero's powerful strike, after his initial shot was saved, nestled in the back of the net. The lead was doubled within 10 minutes, with Malenik Ali doing superbly to beat his man down the left flank, and find John Swift, who thumped the ball home from the edge of the box. Millwall, who were chasing a fourth win in five games, and had lost just one of their previous ten matches, pulled a goal back, when Kasper Dinori found the corner of the net with a delightful curling strike.

Duncan Barkes 0:49

But Marlon Pack's instinctive finish made it 3-1, and the visitors held on for a precious win, their second in London in five days, following victory over Charlton on Tuesday. Although the defeat is a blow to the Lions' automatic promotion hopes, they are only six points behind second-placed Middlesbrough, who could only draw with Oxford, while Ipswich lost to Wrexham.

How did Portsmouth secure their victory over Millwall?

Duncan Barkes 1:10

Pompey edged a tight first half, with Lions keeper Anthony Paterson forced to mark his league debut for the hosts, with a fine early save from Caballero, while Ebu Adams wasted two headed chances, one that was well saved and one that he sent off target from close range. The hosts also missed decent opportunities, and Pompey number one Nicholas Schmid was forced into action on a couple of occasions, notably to keep out a low Femi Aziz shot. But Pompey upped the tempo in a frantic second half, and ended up worthy winners. Millwall boss Alex Neil, I don't think we deserved anything from the game. People will think when I say how we defended that I'm talking about the back four but I'm talking about the whole team.

Duncan Barkes 1:52

This is a collective thing in that the first goal from our point of view was really disappointing and the second goal was equally as disappointing. I said to the lads after the game that we're built as a team on doing the basics really well, and I didn't think we did the basics well enough. When the ball did go forward, it didn't stick enough for us when we got it there and I didn't think we won enough duels. Portsmouth boss, John Mazzino, I know we lost to Arsenal in the FA Cup, but we were excellent on the day and we've replicated those performances away from home. I think it's come from a reset after losing to Bristol City, and a recognition of the fact that we can do both sides of the game pretty well when we put our minds to it.

What were the critical moments that defined the first half of the game?

Duncan Barkes 2:31

To come here and win against the third best team in the league, we've watched them time and time again be a very impressive side, home and away from home, is very pleasing. They've got threats all over the pitch so to do that off the back of Tuesday, a win over Charlton, was really pleasing. I thought we were excellent throughout.

Unknown 2:48

We should keep saying it to ourselves over and over again, we played really well on Saturday and we deserved the win. And we beat soundly the side that is in third place and is hoping for automatic promotion to the Premier League next season. We beat them. We beat them well at their place, which is, by their standard, a bit of a fortress. And we went and we saw and we conquered. And it's interesting, isn't it, that the other manager always, always says that his team were disappointing. They never say... Actually, that Pompey, they're pretty good, you know, and they've really come good. And they were the better side on the day. They were better than us on the day. It could be that they are better than us.

Unknown 3:34

They wouldn't go anywhere near saying that. They like to say that their boys were disappointing and they didn't get the basics right. Fair play. Would John Massino do it that way? If he did, I think we would trust that it would be the fact of the matter rather than the inability to offer grudging or otherwise admiration to the other team. But we earned admiration against Millwall and let's hope we earn admiration aplenty in the remaining games of this season.