Coventry City 0-1 Portsmouth
City: Burge, Willis, Davies, Hyam, (Jordan Thompson 46), Sterling, Doyle, Bayliss, Andreu (Hiwula 72), Shipley, (Jones 56), Thomas, Clarke-Harris . Subs: O'Brien, Kelly, Ogogo, Bakayoko.
Portsmouth: MacGillivray, Thompson, Whatmough, Clarke, Brown, Naylor, Close (Ben Thompson 69), Lowe, Evans, Curtis, Pitman (Hawkins 83) Subs: McGee, Haunstrup, Walkes,, Mason,
ATT 11,102 (1961 Portsmouth)
Goals Rowan Curtis 45+2
Coventry City failed to stop the League One leaders going down to a 1-0 home defeat to Portsmouth.
For the visit of the league leaders, Mark Robins had Tony Andreu in for loanee Conor Chaplin who cannot play against his parent club, Tom Davies in for Junior Brown and Lee Burge playing after being hit by a puck at an ice hockey game on Sunday.
City attacked thr end where the 1961 Pompey fans were for the first half but should have been a goal down in the fifth minute when Ben Close stroked the ball past Burge"s left hand post.
Sterling, who has to play 80% of City matches whilst on loan according to rumours and playing at left back, did well to win a ninth minute corner.
He was back defending as Portsmouth, who had Rohan Curtis and Nathan Thompson wearing gloves on a wet night. won two corners five minutes later.
Sterling got booked and then headed away for a 19th minute corner.
Seven minutes later and Luke Thomas was on the end of a bad tackle which left him needing treatment and Naylor with a caution.
Clarke-Harris got through but had his effort block and Burge saved at the other end on the half hour mark in a game which had plenty of noise from the away following and plenty of effort on the pitch.
Bayliss curled wide before the visitors had Whatmough head over from a 43rd minute corner.
Three minutes were added on and in those three minutes, Rowan Curtis got through and sent a low shot in past Burge on his left.
Jordan Thompson replaced Dominic Hyam at the break and it was a second half which saw Pompey on the attack before Gareth Evans was booked for tripping Thomas when he got through.
In the 56th minute, Jodi Jones came on for Jordan Shipley and was involved straight away with three shots blocked and one into the the side netting.
Kenny Jackett's side were always quick to close down a City player with the ball, so Robins made his final change bringing on Jordy Hiwula for the first eighteen minutes.
A trip on Sterling saw a booking for Nathan Thompson and Jones swinging in a free kick which was cleared far too easily
With five minutes to go, City wasted a corner before Portsmouth had two chances as we approached the 90th minute and four added on.
That failed to provide a City goal and a defeat it was.
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