No fuss at Fratton: Curtis is the assistant as Pompey ease past Southend
Saturday, 8th Dec 2018 21:26 by pompey-fans.com staff

No dramas, no problems. Pompey's 2-0 Fratton Park win over Southend was about as routine as they come.

An own goal and a Jamal Lowe header put Pompey in control well before half-time and Chris Powell's visitors never looked likely to recover.

Pompey have now won eight games in a row in all competitions - admittedly with two of those successes coming in the Checkatrade Trophy - which is their best run since 2002.

They are six points clear at the top, partly because Sunderland were drawing 1-1 at Accrington when that match was abandoned with 15 minutes left.

Pompey made one change from the side who won at Rochdale with Tom Naylor fit to replace Ben Close in midfield.

In wind and rain, the Blues took only 11 minutes to break through as Ronan Curtis played a ball that was aimed for Oli Hawkins in the six-yard box and it was turned past keeper Mark Oxley by defender Michael Turner.

Matt Clarke and Hawkins both spurned decent openings for a second goal, but that did arrive marginally before the half hour mark when Curtis again sent in a fine cross from the left and Lowe stooped to flick it beyond the keeper and into the corner of the net.

After the break, Curtis fancied turning from provider to scoer and forced Oxley into a good save with a fierce shot - while Southend failed to make any real impression in their attacking half.

Southend took 70 minutes to carve out a decent effort at goal and when they did manage one Stephen McLaughlin’s shot was blocked for a corner.

Sub Ben Close, Ben Thompson and Clarke might each have added gloss to the scoreline but by then the points were in the bag and Pompey could reflect on an eighth straight win - with Charlton next up, at Fratton Park on Tuesday evening.

Pompey: MacGillivray; N Thompson, Whatmough, Clarke, Brown; Naylor; Lowe, B Thompson (Pitman 89), Evans (Close 73), Curtis; Hawkins. Subs not used: McGee, Walkes, Burgess, Dennis, Green

Referee: Lee Collins

Attendance: 18,062 (726 away fans)