Carlisle 1 Portsmouth 3: Hart trouble is forgotten as Pompey turn it round

23 September 2009 00:11
Hope at last and not the familiar stench of defeat for Paul Hart when he landed with his shattered squad at Bournemouth airport early on Wednesday morning at the end a 700-mile round trip and a potential hiding to nothing. Hart, who had travelled up to Cumbria on the back of six straight Barclays Premier League defeats, once again had to endure a testing night as Portsmouth manager. He survived an early penalty goal, taunts from League One fans and some of the worst defending imaginable. Now he has a place in the last 16 of the Carling Cup, fresh optimism, and Aruna Dindane and Danny Webber, who made scoring debuts, as he prepares for Everton's visit on Saturday. After Portsmouth had fallen behind after just three minutes to a penalty from Irish defender Ian Harte, the Pompey boss was mocked with chants of, 'You're getting sacked in the morning', from supporters who are more used to piling pressure on their own manager Greg Abbott. Even Hart, who had made seven changes to the side beaten by Aston Villa on Saturday, must have feared the worst. 'You don't want to know what was going through my mind,' he said. 'Let's say we were slow to start.' Portsmouth captain Aaron Mokoena was caught napping by a long ball played into the penalty area, but recalled Carlisle striker Joe Anyinsah controlled it well, turned away from the summer signing from Blackburn and prepared to shoot past Asmir Begovic. Then, right in front of referee Neil Swarbrick, Mokoena pulled back the forward. He somehow escaped even a booking, much to Abbott's disgust. 'There is no argument, it was a blatant sending-off,' said the Carlisle boss. 'There is nothing we can do about it. The referee got it wrong, but well done to Portsmouth. They've had some criticism and came back from a goal down. We were too sloppy.' Former Leeds set-piece expert Harte sent Begovic the wrong way with his trusty left foot for his third goal since signing for the Cumbrians in the summer, but Carlisle's delight lasted barely 20 minutes - despite Mokoena's continuing struggle against Anyinsah and Pompey left back Nadir Belhadj generously offering chances to lively winger Kevan Hurst. Two goals in three minutes sealed Carlisle's fate. First, they dithered over Begovic's almighty clearance into the area. Pidgeley fumbled John Utaka's mis-hit shot and Dindane stole into the area to slot the loose ball into an empty net. Portsmouth had the lead when a seemingly aimless cross from on-loan Benfica midfielder Hassan Yebda found Danny Webber, who leapt above marker Danny Livesey to mark his debut with a glancing header into the top corner. Carlisle had their chances and if Anyinsah, Peter Murphy, Richard Keogh and Scott Dobie had shown more composure, they might have put Hart's men under greater pressure in the second half. But after Livesey ponderously failed to clear from Dindane in the 62nd minute, the on-loan Lens striker pulled the ball back for Anthony Vanden Borre to toe-poke home the clinching goal. CARLISLE UNITED (4-4-2): Pidgeley; Raven, Livesey (Keogh 73min), Murphy (Bridge- Wilkinson 73), Harte; Hurst, Thirlwell, Taiwo (Dobie 77), Robson; Anyinsah, Offiong. PORTSMOUTH (4-3-3): Begovic; Vanden Borre, Kaboul, Mokoena, Belhadj; Basinas, Mullins, Yebda (Brown 78); Utaka, Webber (Piquionne 87), Dindane (Kanu 68). Man of the match: Aruna Dindane. Referee: Neil Swarbrick. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1215366/Carlisle-1-Portsmouth-3-Hart-trouble-forgotten-Pompey-turn-round.html#ixzz0RxeTaXPk

Source: Daily_Mail