20 March 2021

Danny Cowley celebrates ‘important’ opening win

20 March 2021

Danny Cowley made a winning start to his tenure as Portsmouth manager as the south coast side came from behind to beat play-off rivals Ipswich 2-1.

Marcus Harness scored the winner 18 minutes from time after captain Tom Naylor had cancelled out James Norwood’s opener.

Boss Cowley, who replaced the sacked Kenny Jackett on Friday for the rest of the season, said: “It’s a good start; an important win at an important time of the season.

“I thought the commitment, character and work ethic was excellent.

“It was never going to be perfect but what can be perfect is the mentality and it was. I think you saw a real energy and an intensity.

“We did not play very well in the first half an hour but we showed a lot of resilience to come through that. Sometimes you have to fight your way into games.

“If you want to be a successful football team you have to win in all kinds of different ways.

“In the second half we were in a bit more control but there is still loads to work on.”

Portsmouth’s Craig MacGillivray was the first goalkeeper to be called into action when he saved Alan Judge’s 20-yard free-kick in the 18th minute.

MacGillivray was powerless to stop Norwood firing Ipswich in front 13 minutes before half-time after racing onto Gwion Edwards’ sumptuous through-ball.

Pompey hit back nine minutes later when Naylor rose unchallenged to head in a Ronan Curtis corner.

Ryan Williams could have put the home team ahead early in the second half after being put through by Harness but failed to hit the target.

Curtis turned provider again for what proved to be the winning goal when his cross was met by Harness who, after having his initial shot blocked, smashed in the rebound.

It was a losing return to Fratton Park for Ipswich manager Paul Cook, who questioned his players’ mentality.

Cook said: “I think we make our own problems at the moment because for 41 minutes we were by far the better team.

“We were in the ascendency and Portsmouth had not been in our box and offered no threat.

“Goals change games and that one just before half-time did some psychological damage to us because mentally we are not as strong as we should be.

“You always feel at the moment that there might be something in us that can go the wrong way and that has come to the fore again.

“We just have to keep working hard. We don’t look like we are in a promotion campaign at the minute but results can change that.

“We have to take the positives out of it, stop giving goals away and start scoring more goals.”

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