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‘Utter disbelief!’ – Portsmouth vent fury at referee over controversial red in 2-2 draw

‘Utter disbelief!’ – Portsmouth vent fury at referee Josh Smith over a controversial red card in a dramatic 2-2 draw.

The hosts went one up through birthday boy Keshi Anderson with just 9 minutes on the clock, getting on the end of Colby Bishop’s cross.

Pompey went down to 10 men less than 10 minutes later, Connor Ogilvie shown a red card after a heavy challenge on Stanley Mills, contact too high, but the Fratton Park faithful, booed the referee decision.

Guy Whittingham (Ex-Portsmouth manager on BBC Radio Solent): “That is a massive decision by the referee in a game of this significance. He has to be absolutely certain in a game like this. It’s not a good tackle, but he’s hooked his foot around the ball at the same time he has hooked around the Oxford player, it’s his right foot.”

Oxford came close to an equaliser 23 minutes in, a cross from Millsm, a touch from Lankshear in the box, and a deflection off Poole led to Myles Peart-Harris having a chance cleared on the line, denied by Schmid.

It deflects off the Pompey defender and falls to Peart-Harris who tries to slot home, only to be denied by a smart Schmid save.

There were boos at half time, with Pompey fans singing “you’re not fit to referee!”

Dan George (BBC Sport reporter at Fratton Park): “The Portsmouth fans are still furious with referee Josh Smith, jumping to their feet and chanting “off, off, off” for every foul that Oxford now commit.

“The Oxford fans reply with chants of “that is embarrassing”, Stan Mills is also getting booed every time he now touches the ball.

“What was initially a positive and encouraged mood amongst the home fans has now become incredibly hostile.”

Ex-Oxford player turned pundit Jamie Mackie speaking on Sky Sports about Ogilvie’s red card: “I don’t think it’s a red card. I’m not convinced the ref would have given it. I think the linesman on that side is quite close, and I think that quite early on they’ve communicated.

“Look, it wasn’t a great touch, and he’s obviously scrambling a little bit, and standing Mills is quick onto it. I just look at it there. Okay. Look, he’s wrapped his leg round him. But I look and go that the studs aren’t really in play. I think it’s not massively high.

“It’s not like if he wrapped his legs around him, and it’s sort of like quad height. It is quite low.”

The second half started, Ciaron Brown had his hands over Corby Bishop as they both went for a high ball in the area. Bishop went down, referee shook his head, Bishop angry at no penalty being awarded.

Then on 49 minutes, Oxford got their equaliser, one to forget for Schmid who parried a shot by Mills, the ball went straight to Brodie Spencer, who netted for his first goal for the club.

10 minutes after that, a yellow was shown to Spencer for a late challenge on Terry Devlin, Portsmouth fans wanted a red card, shouting ‘Off! Off! Off!’.

More yellows soon followed, Will Vaulks for a soft looking challenge on Caballero, then Dozzell after tripping.

The Pompey outrage upped another level, booked just minutes prior, Spencer avoided a red card following another challenge on Devlin.

On 65 minutes, Marlon Pack was the latest to be booked for barging over Spencer. Home fans fuming again, “you don’t know what you’re doing” they sung. Spencer was subbed off.

Guy Whittingham (on BBC Radio Solent): “The referee has totally lost it here. He’s booked Marlon Pack for a shoulder challenge but doesn’t book Brodie Spencer for the foul earlier on. Fresh energy is needed out there, they’ve put a real shift in have the Pompey players, they’ve got to give it everything, that’s all they can do and hope they get that chance.”

Another yellow, this time for Michal Helik after taking out Keshi Anderson.

Then with just under 10 minutes of the 90 to go, the U’s took the lead thanks to their leading goalscorer Will Lankshear.

But they weren’t in front for long, Portsmouth back above the dotted line ahead of the 3pm kick offs, Andre Dozzell with a 87 minute equaliser.

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho told BBC Radio Solent:

“In real time I don’t think anyone in the stadium was expecting it to be a red card, including Oxford.

“In these games, when stakes are so high, if you are going to do something as monumental as that, I think you have to be 100% sure – and I don’t think it’s clear cut.

“I’m not going to hide away from the fact that I don’t think Connor needs to make the challenge, but if that’s a red card then there should be a fair few more.

“It’s still extremely tight down the bottom. We wanted to win the game today and I’m not sure the draw helped either side too much.

“In the circumstances, we’ll obviously take it, going deep into the game and then getting the equaliser.”

Mousinho, per Sky Sports:

“It is still extremely tight at the bottom of the table. It was a must-win for both teams so I’m not sure it has helped either side. In the circumstances, we will take the point.

“I thought the character and the way the boys went about it was excellent. To be able to do that in a game of magnitude was pleasing, especially to come back into the game after the hammer blow of Oxford’s second goal.

“My take on the red in real time was that I don’t think anyone was expecting it to be a red – including Oxford.

“I don’t think it is a red card and if you are going to do something as monumental as that you have to be 100 per cent sure, and I don’t think it is clear cut.

“I’m not going to hide away from Ogilvie not needing to make the challenge but if that is a red card then there is going to be a fair few red cards dished out over the next year.”

Oxford United boss Matt Bloomfield told BBC Radio Oxford:

“We worked so incredibly hard to get our noses in front in the game against a tough opposition in such an incredible atmosphere.

“We feel terribly disappointed that we are not walking away with three points. We need to make sure we improve on conceding late goals like this.

“Nothing was decided today. It’s my job now as the leader of the group to pick everybody up and make sure we get ready for the game at the weekend.

“We still have five games to go and we’ll keep hunting.”

Bloomfield per Sky Sports:

“We could have won. We got our noses in front so close to the end of the game.

“We worked so hard to get ahead and feel terribly disappointed we’re not walking away with three points.

“Nothing was decided today. The lads are disappointed, as am I, that we haven’t won the game, because we have got so close.

“At the same time, it is my job as a leader of the group to pick everyone up for the next game. We can’t be too down. We have five matches left and we have to keep hunting.”

Here’s the social media reaction after Portsmouth vent fury at the referee over a controversial red in the 2-2 draw…

@McgrealDeclan: Nothing more we could do in that game. That referee was a blantant cheat, trying to be the big man for the sky cameras

@Willmott3Sam: A game ruined by the ref. Points arguably not dropped off our own choices.

@will464775: Ref was disgraceful. Ogilvie should’ve stayed on the pitch , Spencer should’ve got a second yellow. Players put a monumental shift in and fully deserved to get something out of it.

@HarvMarksy: Under the circumstances you settle for a point, better point for us than them. But that is one of the most disgusting referee performances I’ve seen. You can somewhat excuse the penalty, even the Ogilvie red. But how on earth he’s give a foul but not sent off Spencer is madness.

@DanLewis1999: The ref should never ever get the chance to officiate a match again.

@joerobbs: Can’t fault the players today. That referee should not ref again this season. Absolutely disgusting the standard of refereeing in this country. Still can’t see where a win comes from but at least they’re fighting.

@JBrown1898: Don’t know if it is enough, but that really was a must not lose game, ref spoilt it big time though

@SteveInHawkins: Without the ref we win that game, great effort from the lads, we go again! PUP

@PompeyTdog: Michael and Eric, you won. Thank you for sucking the life out of our club, thank you for backing our manager in January with loans from mid table league one sides, thank you for selling our best players then putting the transfer fees in your own pocket. Thank you for not supporting the academy in the 10 years you’ve owned us. Thank you for not backing the women’s team as they also face relegation. Thank you for doing the bare minimum required into fixing our stadium and filling it with plywood. You’ll be pleased to know we’re back in league one now. You won’t have to spend any more money, seals will still suck your dick and they’ll be lots of free transfers from league 2 and the conference. Once again. Thank you for destroying this historic club 🙏

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