Good Evans, it's another awayday win for Pompey
Saturday, 31st Mar 2018 21:10 by pompey-fans.com staff

Gareth Evans fired home a late winner at Walsall to push Pompey into the thick of the race for the last couple of play-off places.

The utility man's fine finish 11 minutes from time left Pompey, who are ninth, just two points behind Scunthorpe and Plymouth, who are fifth and sixth ahead of Easter Monday's games.

Evans was the only change to the starting line-up, coming in for Connor Ronan after an impressive display off the bench against Oxford.

Pompey always looked reasonably comfortable in the first half although didn't give home keeper Liam Roberts too much to worry about.

Jamal Lowe, Ben Close and Brett Pitman found space for efforts on goal but all in all there was little to excite the 5,100 crowd, more than a quarter of whom were away fans.

Pompey came out for the second half looking like they'd been told to take the game to Walsall more than they had been, and the Saddlers had little to offer in attack in response.

Dion Donohue and Kal Naismith both went close with fierce shots and a Pitman header almost sneaked in.

Amadou Bakayoko managed a rare threat to Luke McGee's goal but his shot went over - then Evans broke the deadlock just as time began to run out.

A long ball from the back ended up with Lowe and he laid a perfect little pass into the path of Evans. who hit it sweetly, right-footed, beyond Roberts' dive and into the bottom corner to the delight of the fans behind the goal.

Walsall never looked like finding an equaliser and Pompey were able to celebrate their third successive away win and fourth in five trips.

It sets them up for Monday's visit of Wigan and Paul Cook, who will arrive a point clear at the top of League One.

Pompey: McGee; Thompson, Whatmough, Clarke, Donohue; Walkes; Lowe, Evans, Close (Ronan 77), Naismith; Pitman. Subs not used: Bass, Burgess, Haunstrup, O’Keefe, Kennedy, Hawkins

Referee: Darren Handley

Attendance: 5,159 (1,458 Pompey fans)