Portsmouth FC chief left excited after Derby County blow | OneFootball

Derby County missed their chance to claw back some points on the League One leaders Portsmouth on the weekend, and one Pompey director was very happy to see how the game played out.

Because of international call-ups, only three games took place last weekend in the third division of English football.

With all of their other promotion opponents getting the week off, Derby were hoping to further rubber stamp their claim to one of the top two positions. Prior to the match, they had played the same number of games (39) as both Portsmouth and Bolton Wanderers, who are third in the league. They were five points off top spot, and four points clear of the drop into the play-off spots.

Paul Warne's side ended up being massively frustrated and stifled by their opposition: Northampton Town. A goal from Sam Hoskins in the 23rd minute was all that separated the two sides, and things were made worse for the Rams when Sonny Bradley was sent off in the dying embers of the game for headbutting Northampton defender Manny Monthe, which the 32-year-old denies.

They now find themselves in a precarious position. If the three teams below them - Bolton, Peterborough United, and Barnsley - were all to win their games in hand, they would all be a point behind Derby. This uncomfortable position that they now find themselves in will have been compounded by the happy reaction to their result that came from supporters of their promotion rivals, including Portsmouth director Eric Eisner's joyful post on social media.

Eric Eisner's reaction to Derby County loss

Pompey are nine points clear of third place, so they could have promotion wrapped up in four games, providing results go their way. Derby's loss to Town made the possibility of winning the league much more likely too.

Eisner put a post out on X before the match that said that he was going to be watching the game at the PTS Academy Stadium. After the game had finished, he took to the social media platform again to express his glee about the game that he had just watched.

He said: "Big result! Have to stay focused on ourselves but always can use good results around the league. Another step forward towards our goals for this season. Easter weekend fixtures coming up!!!"

Portsmouth's run-in

John Mousinho's side have seven games to play before the end of the 2023/24 league campaign. They navigated a win over fellow promotion-hunters Peterborough last time out, but they still have another three of them to face, plus one very in-form side.

Portsmouth might be able to start looking towards next season

Mousinho has had to deal with some major injuries this season, but their reinforcements in January have helped them to steer back on course towards the Championship. The games against Wycombe and Shrewsbury should be ones where they can get the job done, and, if the game at Fratton Park against the Rams, on Easter Monday, goes the way they want it to, then full focus will likely switch to the 2024/25 Championship campaign.

Most of their key players are tied down to deals for at least next season, but the likes of Marlon Pack and impressive loanee Abu Kamara are set to leave Pompey at the end of the current campaign.

Thoughts about what to do with the expiring contracts, and deals for the summer, will come into the forefront of minds across Fratton Park soon enough if they maintain their current pace.