Pompey's 'magical' moment has survival within sight
In my two-and-a-bit decades of supporting Pompey, there are very few moments or memories that top an afternoon like that.Not necessarily the glamour or indeed magnitude of a night under the lights against AC Milan, a Pedro Mendes Manchester City moment or even winning both Leagues One and Two in recent years - but a moment spent alongside friends and family witnessing Pompey beat a Leeds United side destined for top-flight football next season and in turn taking an almighty step towards survival ourselves. Magical.It felt like an occasion befitting of the division and the calibre of clubs competing against each other with juxtaposing seasonal ambitions and objectives.Both sets of supporters with relatively fresh memories of serious administrative trouble, two also extremely well renowned fanbases - hailing from two 'proper' football cities.The game for me changed in the second half upon the introduction on the imperially-dynamic Terry Devlin. Play him anywhere but in goal, he'll do a job for Pompey.His latest assignment, execute the number 10 role against the best side in the league for the best part of 40 minutes and my word did he do that.Pompey forged a handful of opportunities which, in turn, lifted an already vociferous home crowd.A picture perfect route-one ball on the hour mark from Connor Ogilvie left Illan Meslier in two minds - and if there's anyone you'd back in that moment to finish with aplomb, it would be the man with the magic hat to net his sixth since his late November return - all six of them at Fratton Park.The elephant in the room is of course the wondrous Nicolas Schmid, a man who has bailed out his team-mates on many an occasion since coming into the side, no more so than yesterday.We've come to almost anticipate at least one Schmid match-defining prevention per game - there were at least three of those against Leeds. Those stops may prove to be rather impactful once all is said and done come early May.Schmid's heroics were ably backed up by big defensive performances elsewhere too.Zak Swanson is always one for the big occasion in a blue shirt, Regan Poole almost looks as if he's never been gone, Ogilvie continues his supreme left-back reign - and a final word on the Pompey skipper.For me, John Mousinho's continued inclusive judgement defensively on Marlon Pack is wholly backable at Fratton Park.Two more wins, and Pompey will be all but a Championship club next season.Days like Sunday, with Fratton as crackling as it was, will certainly go a long way in delivering that.Find more from Tom Chappell at FourNilWrittenAllOverIt., external
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