Source: Daily_Mail
Portsmouth 4 Wigan 0: Aruna delivers at last to breathe life into Pompey
A fortnight ago, Portsmouth striker Aruna Dindane was an object of derision as he missed a sitter in a 2-1 loss to Tottenham. [LNB]It seemed the 28-year-old Ivory Coast international, a loan signing from Lens, was to be one of those frustrating front men who never quite manages to deliver. [LNB]But Portsmouth manager Paul Hart kept faith, picked Dindane for the next two games and worked specifically with his strikers and defenders in training. [LNB] Spot on: Aruna Dindane's penalty sends Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland the wrong way, completing the striker's hat-trick and netting Pompey's fourth goal[LNB]On Saturday, the manager's investment paid off. Portsmouth recorded their first home league win of the season and Dindane finally scored a league goal. Three, in fact.[LNB] Dindane broke his Portsmouth duck on 35 minutes, dinking a delicate chip over Chris Kirkland after a through-ball from Michael Brown. [LNB]The Ivorian struck twice more in the second half after Frederic Piquionne had doubled Portsmouth's advantage with a right-foot strike from a Dindane pass, a goal that led several Portsmouth players to run over to Hart and celebrate with their manager on the touchline. [LNB]For Younes Kaboul, the message was simple. 'The manager deserves the best. He gives to us every day at training, so we have to give him back on the pitch.' [LNB] Dejected: Titus Bramble watches as Dindane (left) celebrates scoring[LNB]A cross from substitute Nwankwo Kanu allowed Dindane to tap in the third after 64 minutes and then in stoppage time the 33-year-old made one of his wonderfully lethargic, weaving runs and fell over Emmerson Boyce's outstretched foot in the area.[LNB] Kevin-Prince Boateng handed Dindane the ball and he tucked it away with his right foot to complete his hat-trick. 'We are staying up' and 'We want five!' sang the fans.[LNB] Suddenly, there is hope. And why not? Despite all the off-field dramas, Portsmouth have not been thrashed by anybody but Arsenal, where they lost 4-1, and put four goals of their own past Stoke in the Carling Cup last Tuesday. [LNB]Hart said of his squad: 'They've had unbelievable things to cope with, but they never complained and just got on with it. They have been superb professionals.'[LNB] For Wigan, however, it was another frustrating game in a season of extreme highs and lows. [LNB]MATCH STATSPORTSMOUTH (4-4-2): James 6; Finnan 5 (Belhadj 41min, 6), Kaboul 6, Wilson 6, Ben Haim 6; Brown 7, Yebda 6 (Mullins 85), O'Hara 7, Boateng 7; Dindane 8, Piquionne 6 (Kanu 57, 6). [LNB]WIGAN ATHLETIC (4-2-3-1): Kirkland 6; Melchiot 5, Bramble 5, Boyce 4, N'Zogbia 5; Diame 5, Thomas 5; Sinclair 5, Scharner 5 (Gomez 59, 6), Rodallega 5 (Kapo 59, 5); Scotland 5. Booked: Thomas [LNB]Man of the match: Aruna Dindane. [LNB]Referee: Alan Wiley. [LNB]The team who humbled league leaders Chelsea a month ago have now shipped 21 goals in 11 games - the fourth worst record in the league - and managed just three shots on target on Saturday.[LNB] Manager Roberto Martinez admitted his team were inconsistent but said the decision to sack striker Marlon King - sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment - was not an excuse for such a dire performance. [LNB]He said: 'There is a clause in contracts that if a player gets a three-month sentence, contracts can be terminated.'[LNB] Four goals for owner number four but Portsmouth's off-field situation is still unclearDon't tar everyone with the Marlon King brush, insists Harry RedknappPORTSMOUTH FC
