Football Sep 23, 2026

Portsmouth 2-2 Blackburn: Colby Bishop earns a point for Pompey

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
Portsmouth 2-2 Blackburn: Colby Bishop earns a point for Pompey

Colby Bishop scored a fortuitous late leveller as Portsmouth drew 2-2 with Blackburn at Fratton Park.

John Mousinho made three changes from Pompey's dour 0-0 draw at Charlton with Bishop among those making way.

Tony Mowbray was also forced into making a change from Blackburn's win against Millwall as Yuri Ribeiro missed out with a hamstring issue and Harry Pickering came in.

The visitors started the brighter and Sam Morsy fed the ball through to captain Todd Cantwell inside the box, forcing the game's first corner via a deflected shot aimed point-blank at Daniel Bielica.

It was Pompey though who opened the scoring when Zak Swanson volleyed home past Rovers keeper Balazs Toth after Tyrese Shade's cross from the left was only half-cleared by Sean McLoughlin.

That lead lasted just seven minutes until Oladapo Afolayan netted his third goal in two games by converting a right-footed strike into the near post, making the most of a chipped ball played to him from the centre of the field by Pickering.

Bielica was forced into action again to scramble away Afolayan's flick-on from close range and then straight down the other end, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen scuffed an effort high and wide after a well-worked move which began with the receiving of a 40-yard diagonal switch from Madiodio Dia.

Abu Kamara was denied a first goal back in Pompey colours when Pickering timed a sliding challenge inside the penalty area well to clear the danger as the winger was preparing to shoot.

Home captain Marlon Pack received the game's first yellow card following a tackle in midfield on Rovers goalscorer Afolayan five minutes before the interval.

After surviving 10 minutes of Pompey dominance in the opening stages of the second half, Rovers took the lead for the first time in the game through Ryoya Morishita's drilled effort into the far corner, set up by Afolayan.

Mousinho's misery with injuries was further compounded by the forced withdrawal of Conor Shaughnessy, who pulled up unchallenged and had to be replaced after an hour.

His side did however claw their way back into the game when substitute Bishop inadvertently deflected in Kavuma-McQueen's right-footed effort after the Chelsea loanee did superbly to keep the opportunity alive for the hosts

Pompey had chances to snatch a third through Kamara and Bishop but were unable to find that late winner as the points were shared.

Both Mousinho and Mowbray will be relatively satisfied to head into the first international break of the season with a draw.

Portsmouth's John Mousinho:

"It was a frustrating afternoon with the fact we went a goal up, controlled the game but didn't win.

"We did everything but put the ball in the back of the net and were annoyed by the way we conceded the second goal.

"Maybe we had a bit of luck with our equaliser but we definitely could have won on the balance of chances.

"We put in a lot of effort but that is the bare minimum. We needed a bit more quality at times, in both boxes."

Blackburn's Tony Mowbray:

"We'll put the point in the bag and move on to the next game.

"There is a bit of frustration around it, really, to get ourselves in front. We should have been able to see that game out but unfortunately we didn't.

"At our best and in moments, we look like a really good football team, and yet I felt we probably showed them too much respect today, allowed them to build into our attacking third too easily.

"I am disappointed and frustrated, but it's a point away at Portsmouth, which is never an easy place to come to, with the atmosphere that the supporters create.

"I feel we have to get better. It wasn't a top performance from us, slightly below par, I think.

"We have to have better control. You've talked about Portsmouth. I feel we should be coming here and controlling a huge part of this game and get to a point where we believe that we're going to win.

"We should win and we are disappointed, but more frustrated today that we couldn't get to the performance level.

"I think we were below par today and that's probably down to them, but I think we should have managed the game better."

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