Burnley vs Portsmouth. Sky Bet Championship.
Turf MoorAttendance20,476.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Burnley and Portsmouth at Turf Moor on Saturday | Jeremy Sarmiento amd Josh Brownhill seal a turnaround victory for Scott Parker's Clarets.
Saturday 21 September 2024 18:22, UK
Josh Brownhill fired Burnley to a last-gasp 2-1 victory against winless Portsmouth to put Scott Parker's side third in the Championship.
The Clarets had to come from behind after Callum Lang gave Pompey the lead towards the end of the first half and had Jeremy Sarmiento to thank for levelling matters just after the hour.
But with the match heading for a frustrating draw and four of the eight minutes of stoppage time on the clock, the Burnley skipper fired a low shot home from the edge of the area to electrify Turf Moor.
Just a week after beating Leeds at Elland Road, the Clarets had to fight hard for the three points against John Mousinho's side who are now without a win in six games this season.
If Parker had hoped that momentum would carry into this contest he was to be disappointed with Burnley struggling for any fluency, attacking threat and without a shot on target until after the half-hour mark.
And it was the visitors who first went close when Connor Ogilvie struck a post with a header in the 28th minute before then taking the lead.
Parker will have been livid with how simple the goal was and how many chances Burnley had to intervene, Josh Murphy feeding Paddy Lane who in turn fired a pass across the six-yard area which was met at the far post by Lang.
Things did not improve markedly at the start of the second period and it was no surprise Parker elected to shake things up on the hour mark, bringing Brighton loan signing Sarmiento and Zian Flemming into the fray.
It proved an inspired switch with the former pulling the Clarets level with his first involvement, making room for himself on the left side of the area and firing a curling shot inside the far post.
Flemming very nearly made it two from two four minutes later, exchanging a give and go with the lively Luca Koleosho only to see his shot on the angle smothered by Will Norris.
Burnley looked energised and Portsmouth deflated, the visitors trying to run the clock down with a succession of time-wasting, slow set-plays and substitutions.
It was to prove crucial as referee David Webb saw fit to add eight minutes as a result and Brownhill did the rest.
Burnley's Scott Parker:
"[Josh Brownhill] gives you every bit of that experience and composure. He understands and has the nous around the football pitch and this division.
"There was a frustration in the stadium, for myself and the players as well. There was an edginess to us and in certain moments like that you can see a team just wilt away a little bit and lose belief.
"I didn't think for one second we did that. I constantly felt there was a group of men trying to win the game and Browny tips that off at the end. To be in around it, edge of the box and to take the shot on as well. It's very pleasing.
"That is a massive win for us. We wanted to get three points and we managed to do that. We needed to address things at half-time but I think we were well worthy of the three points."
Portsmouth's John Mousinho:
"That is the toughest one to take all season by a long way. If you look back at the last couple of weeks I think we were beaten by the better sides in West Brom and Sunderland.
"Today I thought it was very, very even but we've come away losing the game and I'm struggling to see how we didn't come out with something.
"I was really pleased with the game plan and the effort but there were a couple of moments.
"We keep coming in being pleased with the performance but letting ourselves down in key moments of the game.
"I'm furious with the players. I can live with West Brom and Sunderland to a certain extent and we deserved much more from that game and the players have got to do better.
"We are really close but we are still there with three points after six games and we should have won some of those games."
