Preview: Neal excited by cup challenge at Portsmouth

Views from both camps, stats, and goals from a previous Dons victory at Fratton Park

14 August 2018

Neal Ardley expects his squad to face a tough test of their progress against in-form Portsmouth tonight, but he is excited by the challenge that awaits.

The Carabao Cup tie at Fratton Park pitches together two teams unbeaten this season with Kenny Jacket's side having picked up two points more. Pompey have been tipped in some quarters to be among the League One promotion contenders and Neal Ardley knows they will be difficult opponents tonight. However, Neal's new-look squad have made a bright start to 2018/19, raising hopes of progress in the club's third successive campaign in League One (the picture above shows Tom King and Ben Purrington congratulating each other after another clean sheet on Saturday). Portsmouth finished a very creditable eighth in their first season back in the third tier of English football, threatening to sneak into the play-offs late on.

Whatever happens tonight, there will be no extra-time! As part of a key rule change introduced by the EFL, games in the Carabao Cup will go straight to penalties if scores are level at full-time.

Below is an in-depth preview of tonight's game, including quotes from both camps, and stats:

Quotes

Neal Ardley

"We feel that we are a good team this season, but the proof will be in the pudding over all the games that we have to play. At the moment there has been some really positive signs, but Kenny Jacket's teams are normally hard to play against as they are always unbelievably well organised with players knowing their jobs. This will be no different and we will have to perform or we will not get anything.

"It is a local game for us, just over an hour or so away for the fans, it is reachable. Portsmouth is a great traditional club, they have fantastic support and they are always noisy down there. We've had some mixed results there with wins and losses, but our fans always get behind the goal and make a lot of noise. It will be a great cup atmosphere, it might go straight to penalties if there is no score at full-time. It will be exciting and a place in that next round is up for grabs.

"Sometimes you can get carried away by the fact that we did not score any goals (against Coventry), but we had two cleared off the line and hit the post. If one of those had gone in we may have gone on to get a second and a third. It gave them something to cling onto. Everything in our build-up play was good, same as at Fleetwood, and I think we could have scored three or four there. I'm not judging it on that. You could flip it on its head and say that we've not conceded a goal and we've not looked likely to.

"There are loads of positives, the goals will come. I feel with Joe Pigott, James Hanson, Kwesi Appiah – and if we can bring another forward in – as well as the wide players, we will have goals in us this season."

Joe Gallen (Portsmouth Assistant Manager)

"It's the next game and it's at home, with fans paying money to watch us, so we won't be thinking ahead to facing Oxford at the weekend. I'm sure there will be changes on both sides, but we'll be putting out a strong team that we believe is capable of winning. The supporters will see a proper Pompey XI trying to get through to the next round of the competition.

"We didn't perform anywhere near good enough on the ball in the first game against Luton, although we were delighted with the result. There was a lot for us to work on and then we tweaked the formation a bit at Blackpool to get a bit more control and put some more passes together. It wasn't by any means perfect, but there was a definite improvement and we created a few decent chances.

"If you keep on winning then confidence does build. It's such a positive thing, so that's what we're looking to do again. Our opponents have an experienced squad and if you look through it then you'll see plenty of decent players. It will be tough and if we want to progress then – as ever – we know we're going to have to play really well."

Team news

Andy Barcham is doubtful to be involved back at his former club after picking up a toe injury. For Portsmouth, Conor Chaplin could make his first appearance of the season after recovering from a hip problem. Dion Donohue is sidelined after picking up a groin injury and Nathan Thompson is also ruled out.

Form guide (last six, starting with most recent)

Portsmouth WWWLLL

AFC Wimbledon DWDDDD

Last meeting (26 December 2017)

Portsmouth 2 (Close 45, Pitman 72)

AFC Wimbledon 1 (Taylor 50)

Last Wimbledon win at Fratton Park (26 December 2014)

Portsmouth 0

AFC Wimbledon 2 (Sutherland 9, Tubbs 17)

Click on the link below to watch the goals from this memorable Dons victory.

Top scorers

Portsmouth – Ronan Curtis (2)

AFC Wimbledon – Joe Pigott (1)

Tickets

Dons supporters will be located in the South Stand Lower for this game. You can pay on the night with the following ticket prices:

Adult - £10

Senior (64-plus) - £8

Young Person (18-22 years) - £5

Junior (Under-18) - £2

Wheelchair and Carer - £5

Ambulant - £5

Ambulant (Junior) - £2

Carers (required to be on highest rate of DLA) - free of charge

Wheelchair users can contact the Portsmouth FC Ticket Office on 0345 646 1898 to purchase tickets. Please note that the spaces are located amongst the home wheelchair section in front of the Fratton End.

Match coverage

Domestic and overseas subscribers can listen to WDON commentary of tonight's game with Rob Cornell and Mikey T keeping you in touch with events from Fratton Park. To subscribe in time for tonight, visit our designated iFollow page. Carabao Cup games are not streamed live for subscribers at home or abroad. If you can't listen in, then follow our official Twitter page to keep in touch with the action.

Match Reports

Dons fight back to march into second round of cup

Wimbledon secure place in second round of national competition

14 August 2018

AFC Wimbledon showed fighting spirit in abundance to claim a place in the EFL Cup at the eighth time of asking.

Whatever the name of this competition – it's now called the Carabao Cup – Wimbledon's attempts to make progress in it since getting back into the Football League had been in vain.

However, a fine header tonight from Joe Pigott and an own goal from Anton Walkes secured a 2-1 victory for the Dons with Neal Ardley's men coming from behind to win it.

Neal Ardley made five changes to his starting line-up after the draw against Coventry with Scott Wagstaff, Tyler Garratt, James Hanson, Rod McDonald and Anthony Wordsworth all coming in for their full debuts. Ben Purrington, Will Nightingale and Kwesi Appiah all had to settle for places on the bench with Andy Barcham and Liam Trotter missing out on the squad altogether. Pompey manager Kenny Jacket also shuffled his pack by making six changes to the side that earned victory against Blackpool on Saturday.

Wimbledon made a bright start and a fine move down the left ended with a lovely cross by Mitch Pinnock that Joe Pigott headed just wide. The Dons continued to have the better of it in the opening 15 minutes and another good chance resulted from the early pressure. Pinnock curled in a free-kick from 35 yards out and when it was only half cleared it fell nicely for Scott Wagstaff, but he volleyed wide. Wagstaff was everywhere in the opening exchanges, the experienced midfielder joining in the attack at every opportunity. Wagstaff showed good movement to latch onto a James Hanson flick-on and he did everything right with a deft lob over Pompey keeper Luke McGee, but it was cleared off the line. The chances kept on coming for Wimbledon and Wagstaff had yet another opportunity when he headed over the crossbar after getting on the end of a cross from Pinnock.

Following a first 20 minutes dominated by Wimbledon, Portsmouth squandered the best opportunity so far when David Wheeler was left unmarked in the area, but he headed wide from close-range. That did nothing to change the pattern of this match with Wimbledon continuing to pour forward. The Dons fashioned another half chance when Pigott headed on a long throw into the path of Pinnock, but he volleyed just wide. At the other end, chances had been few and far between for Portsmouth and that was helped by a composed introduction from Rod McDonald, who showed good defensive awareness on a few occasions in the first-half to nullify Portsmouth. Jamal Lowe attempted to do it all on his own in the 39th minute when he drove across the area, but Tom King watched his shot flash wide.

As we approached half-time, there had been plenty of positive signs for Wimbledon. The midfield play of new boys Scott Wagstaff and Anthony Wordsworth had complemented Tom Soares in the centre of the park, offering a platform to mount attacking moves.

The second-half started with Portsmouth grabbing the initiative and it was 1-0 to the hosts in the 49th minute through a goal that was very simple in its execution. A corner was swung in towards the back post and Christian Burgess rose highest to head home emphatically. Far from feeling sorry for themselves, Neal Ardley's men responded well and there was almost an equaliser to celebrate just a minute later. Pinnock almost got on the end of a through ball when any touch would have sent it into the net and appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears, before Hanson's follow-up was blocked.

Just after the hour came another near miss for Wimbledon with Wordsworth shooting just wide of the target from outside the area. Wordsworth was certainly showing plenty of attacking intent and it needed Pompey keeper Luke McGee to make a fine save when he reacted well to stop a fierce drive from Word. Neal Ardley made a change in the 66th minute with Kwesi Appiah introduced for Mitch Pinnock. Wimbledon continued to pile forward in search of an equaliser and it deservedly arrived in the 76th minute. It was a lovely goal in its execution with the impressive Wagstaff sending over a superb cross that Joe Pigott met with an emphatic header to leave McGee with no chance.

Following the equaliser, there was no let-up from Wimbledon and it was almost 2-1 when substitute Toby Sibbick sent over a great cross that Appiah so nearly managed to touch home. Tom Soares almost found the key to the door when he tried his luck with an opportunistic effort from outside the area, but McGee got down well to save. In a frantic finale with both sides really going for it, Conor Chaplin so nearly made it 2-1 to Pompey, but he failed to get a touch at the near post. However, Wimbledon did find the cutting edge at the other end, thanks to a helping hand from the hosts. A fine cross was swung in from the right by Tom Soares and though Pigott just failed to get there, Anton Walkes could only head the ball into his own net. Though Portsmouth desperately attempted to get back into it, there was no way back, and Wimbledon marched into the second round of the Carabao Cup.

AFC Wimbledon: Tom King, Tennai Watson (Toby Sibbick), Deji Oshilaja, Scott Wagstaff, Mitchell Pinnock (Kwesi Appiah), Tyler Garratt, James Hanson, Tom Soares, Rod McDonald, Joe Pigott (Anthony Hartigan), Anthony Wordsworth.

Ticket News

Carabao Cup: Tickets & Travel for Pompey away

Buy in advance or pay on the day to support the Dons

13 August 2018

AFC Wimbledon will be aiming to maintain an unbeaten start to 2018/19 at Portsmouth on Tuesday night and tickets are available for this fixture (7.45 pm kick-off).

Neal Ardley's men bid to make progress in the Carabao Cup after an encouraging start to the new campaign. You can be there at Fratton Park to show your support for the Dons with tickets available on the day at Portsmouth.

Wimbledon supporters will be located in the South Stand Lower with the following ticket prices:

Adult - £10
Senior (64-plus) - £8
Young Person (18-22 years) - £5
Junior (Under-18) - £2
Wheelchair and Carer - £5
Ambulant - £5
Ambulant (Junior) - £2
Carers (required to be on highest rate of DLA) - free of charge

Supporters' Coach

The club will be running a coach to Fratton Park on Tuesday night and places are still available. It will pick-up from opposite South Wimbledon tube station at 4.00 pm and from the Cherry Red Records Stadium at 4.30 pm. The price is £22 for return travel. Contact the club office on 020 8547 3528 to book a place.

Ticket News

AFC Wimbledon

Standings

Preview: Neal excited by cup challenge at Portsmouth

Dons fight back to march into second round of cup

Carabao Cup: Tickets & Travel for Pompey away

Tickets on sale for Carabao Cup tie at Portsmouth