Portsmouth Secure Valuable Point in South Coast Derby

Portsmouth Secure Valuable Point in South Coast Derby

By Football Club Forums | January 25, 2026

Portsmouth fought back to earn a hard-fought 1-1 draw against fierce rivals Southampton in a highly anticipated South Coast derby at Fratton Park on Sunday. The result marked the first league meeting between the two sides in 15 years and provided a significant boost for John Mousinho's men in their bid to climb away from the Championship relegation zone.

The atmosphere was electric as fans packed into the historic ground for what proved to be an intense and feisty encounter. Southampton struck first, taking the lead in a tense first half that saw both teams create chances but struggle to convert them. Pompey responded with determination after the break, pushing forward in search of an equaliser despite missing several key players through injury.

The decisive moment arrived in the 77th minute when new signing Ebou Adams marked his home debut in spectacular fashion. Following a well-delivered corner from Adrian Segečić, Adams bundled the ball over the line to spark wild celebrations among the home supporters. The goal secured a crucial point for Portsmouth, lifting them out of the bottom three and providing renewed belief ahead of a challenging run of fixtures.

Manager John Mousinho praised his team's resilience after the match. "I'm absolutely buzzing with the performance," he said. "The lads showed real character to come back against a strong Southampton side. It could have been all three points, but we'll take the draw and the momentum it gives us. The fans were incredible – it's going to be special moments like this that help drive us forward."

The draw came despite defensive concerns for Pompey, with defender Regan Poole forced off early due to a groin injury, adding to an already lengthy casualty list. The team ended the game with multiple full-backs deployed in central positions, highlighting the urgent need for reinforcements in defence during the upcoming transfer window.

Southampton will feel they let slip a golden opportunity to claim bragging rights and maximum points in the derby. Despite dominating possession at times, they were unable to hold onto their lead against a determined Portsmouth outfit that refused to lie down.

With the rivalry renewed and passions running high, both sets of fans will look forward to future clashes. For Portsmouth, the focus now turns to building on this result as they aim to establish themselves as a competitive force in the Championship. Next up is an important away trip to Millwall, where another positive performance could further ease relegation worries.

The point gained from this dramatic derby will be savoured by the Fratton faithful, who showed once again why home advantage remains such a powerful weapon for Pompey. As the season progresses, these moments of defiance and unity could prove pivotal in Portsmouth's campaign.

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Home of Portsmouth FC

Opened 1899

Capacity 20,620

History (from Wikipedia)

Fratton Park is built in a traditional English style with four separate stands of varied designs and sizes and arranged closely around the four sides of the football pitch. The pitch measures 115 x 73 yards, and is aligned from east to west, which is considered unusual in English football, as most other pitches are orientated north to south to maximise natural sunlight.

The stadium has a current (reduced) capacity for 19,669 supporters,[16] although it has had a much larger maximum capacity for 58,000 supporters after the construction of the North Stand in 1935. Fratton Park's record attendance is 51,385, reached in an FA Cup quarter-final match vs Derby County, on 26 February 1949, in which Portsmouth won 2–1.

The four stands in Fratton Park are named The North Stand (north), The South Stand (south), The Milton End (east) and The Fratton End (west). Before the reconstruction of the 4,500 seat Fratton End in 1997, the previously unseated terraced stands of the old Fratton End, Lower North Terrace and Milton End were conjoined as one contiguous terrace for much of Fratton Park's twentieth century history.[17][18]

Along the northern touchline of the pitch is the two-tier North Stand, the largest stand in Fratton Park. The North Stand (including Lower North Terrace) was rebuilt and reopened as a full standing stand on 7 September 1935, increasing Fratton Park's maximum capacity to 58,000 supporters. However, the stadium capacity was reduced when 4,226 seats were fitted to the upper North Stand terrace in 1951. The lower North Terrace was also fitted with seats in 1996. A new roof extension, supported by steel columns, was added from the front of the North Stand in 1997 and extended over the North Terrace (previously uncovered) to the pitch touchline. The North Stand turnstiles are accessed from Milton Lane. A gravel surfaced car park is a recent addition to the rear of the North Stand. The current 'Pompey Shop' merchandise shop and ticket office are located directly behind the North Stand car park in Anson Road.

The current South Stand has two tiers and was opened on 29 August 1925 and is currently the oldest stand in Fratton Park. It replaced an earlier and smaller South Stand (known as The Grand Stand) that existed on the site between 1899 and 1925. The current 1925 South Stand was designed by the famed Scottish architect Archibald Leitch. The entrance to the South Stand is in Frogmore Road and is notable for its mock Tudor façade, which is a remnant of a grand mock Tudor pavilion structure - with a clock tower - that previously occupied the site from 1905 before the current South Stand was built in 1925.

At the eastern end of Fratton Park is the Milton End, the smallest stand. The original Milton End was built in 1905 and was known as the Spion Kop, and was enlarged to its current size in 1949. Infamously, the Milton End was the only roofless stand in the Premier League, before a roof was added before the 2007–08 season. The Milton End is used by visiting 'away' supporters, with turnstiles in an alleyway named Specks Lane, directly behind the Milton End.

At the western end of Fratton Park is the single tier 4,500 seat Fratton End, which first opened on 31 October 1997 and is the newest and tallest stand in Fratton Park. The Fratton End also had an official opening ceremony on 4 April 1998, timed to coincide with a home match that was one day before the centennial anniversary of Portsmouth F.C. on 5 April 1998. The current Fratton End replaced an earlier two-tier Fratton End built in 1956, which had its upper tier demolished in 1986 for structural reasons. The remaining lower tier of the Fratton End was demolished eleven seasons later in 1997 to clear the land for the building of the current Fratton End stand in 1997. The Fratton End turnstiles are accessed from Frogmore Road.

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