Two West Ham United Academy loanees saw action in mid-week EFL Championship action...
Freddie Potts helped his Portsmouth side continue their remarkable run of form at Fratton Park, with their fourth home win on the bounce, condemning Stoke City to their first defeat in six.
Portsmouth were awarded a penalty just five minutes in after a challenge from Manchester City loanee and former West Ham United Academy player Josh Wilson-Esbrand on Callum Lang which Colby Bishop made no mistake in converting. Top goalscorer Lang doubled Pompey’s lead just four minutes later poking home a a long ball from goalkeeper Nicholas Schmid to move him into double figures for the season.
Stoke City, who had struggled for goals in recent matches, hitting the back of the net just twice in their last six league games, found a lifeline just before the half-hour mark when Ben Wilmot headed home from a Wilson-Esbrand cross, setting the stage for a tense second half.
However, Portsmouth restored their two-goal cushion just five minutes after the restart, with Potts delivering a perfect corner delivery to the back post for Connor Ogilvie who applied the finishing touch. The assist was the midfielder's fourth in consecutive Pompey home matches, all of which have ended in victories for John Mousinho's side.
Their 3-1 win sees them leapfrog the Potters, lifting them out of the relegation zone with a game in hand on all six teams below them. Portsmouth travel to seventh-place West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
George Earthy also featured in Championship action, playing over 30 minutes as a second-half substitute in Bristol City's 2-2 draw at Hillsbrough against Sheffield Wednesday. Despite trailing for most of the 90 minutes, the Robins came from behind twice to rescue a point.
Earthy replaced Scott Twine on 63 minutes, playing in his preferred No10 role, showing his attacking potential, going close on a couple of occasions and looking bright throughout his cameo.
Bristol City sit ninth in the Championship table, four points behind Blackburn Rovers, who they face at Ashton Gate on Saturday, in the final Play-Off place.
