Colby Bishop returned from heart surgery to secure Portsmouths first home win of the season as they beat Preston 3-1. Pompeys leading goalscorer in their League One title-winning season, Bishop had missed the opening 14 matches as he recovered from his summer health scare after a heart scan revealed a risk.
He came on in the 78th minute, with Pompey 2-1 up after a piledriver from Jacob Murphy and a Connor Ogilvie tap-in, and 12 minutes later converted from the spot to secure the points. The hosts showed their threat from set-pieces in the 17th minute when Freddie Potts wicked delivery was diverted towards goal by Marlon Pack but well saved by Freddie Woodman.
Championship highlights | Table | FixturesAll you need to know – Streaming Sky Sports with NOW | Get Sky SportsDownload the Sky Sports App to watch every Sky Sports+ gameLive EFL on Sky Sports+ & how to watch | Get more EFL to your phone with WhatsAppPotts blazed over after a quick transition as Pompeys influence, and crowd noise, built until they led in the 36th minute.
Woodman punched Matt Ritchies corner seemingly away from danger but Murphy controlled and leathered a stinging low shot from 30 yards into the bottom left corner. It was a second goal of the week for former Oxford winger after opening his Pompey account at Hull last weekend.
Andre Dozzell went close twice in quick succession as a shot into the ground bounced over Woodman but wide, before an effort from the edge of the area deflected just past the post. Another corner doubled the hosts lead on the cusp of half-time.
Potts swung in towards the goalmouth, Woodman flapped and Ogilvie stabbed in at the back post. The only nervy moment of a dominant first half for Pompey had been in the 23rd minute when Emil Riis went down in the box under a challenge from keeper Nicolas Schmid but referee John Busby waved away the North End protests.
It was little surprise when Paul Heckingbottom made a triple substitution at half-time. And one of those introductions, Ryan Ledson, produced a stunning outside-of-the-boot through-ball to set up Riis to score just five minutes into the second half.
It was Prestons first shot of the match. Pompey reacted with Ritchie powering a header at Woodman, before Jack Whatmoughs header bounced off Kusini Yengi and forced Schmid into a stunning low save. Bishops introduction – a surprise having not been named in Pompeys initial 25-man squad for the first half of the Championship season – was celebrated more wildly than either of the earlier goals, and Portsmouth ended a seven-match winless run at home after Callum Lang was felled in the box.
Only one man was ever going to take the penalty, and Bishop dispatched with aplomb to lift Pompey off the foot of the Championship. He was also afford his own fist pumps after the final whistle as Prestons wait for an away win stretches past 239 days.
The managersPortsmouths John Mousinho: We knew we needed a result after everything that has happened this season. That was first and foremost, but a close second was the performance. The first goal lifted the pressure a bit and then it was a very well deserved lead at half-time.
It was really important to hold on. The lads might have thought here we go again, weve played well again now we are under the cosh, but I was really happy with the second part of the second half and the third goal was a massive relief.
It [Bishops return] is something we have been keeping under wraps. There was every chance he wouldnt have been available or it could have been another six weeks. It gave us a really nice boost, we didnt think he would be available until January.
It is a bit of luck for us but the whole thing is a testament to how quickly Colby has come back from his surgery – we have seen other instances in professional sport where people havent come back as quickly.
The most important thing with Colby was if he could get a goal then great but it was more important he led the line well. When we got the penalty it was a huge swathe of release that swept across the stadium when he scored.
Prestons Paul Heckingbottom: First half we were totally bullied. It was surprising and it was unacceptable. We looked like rabbits in the headlights in the first half, it was totally one-sided. We didnt have the mentality.
You saw the reaction in the second half after we shouted at them and made three changes. Yes, we also changed shape slightly, but we were bullied because we were out-run, we were out-fought and out-competed.
I think that first half probably explains to me a bit more of why its been eight months (without an away win). Although in our time here, we should have already won away from home.
