Portsmouth vs York Preview

Last updated : 01 May 2015 By Jim Bonner

Pompey end their fourth dismal season in a row with a game against York City as they attempt to match last year's mediocre finish.

Team News

There are unlikely to be any changes from the team that won at Mansfield last week as none of the current injured players are in line for a return. Gary Waddock may be tempted to start Conor Chaplin and/or Adam May to see how they perform at senior level from the start.

York defender Dave Winfield returns from a three-match-ban and could force himself into the side for the final game of the season.

The Match

Many Pompey fans will be glad to see the back of yet another disappointing season which could well end in the club finishing in the lowest position ever of its 117 year history.

The highest Portsmouth can finish is 13th and that is only if they beat York, Wimbledon lose at home to Cheltenham, Oxford lose at Newport with a two goal swing in Pompey's favour and if Dagenham lose at Exeter with a two goal swing in the Blues' favour also. An unlikely prospect, then.

The lowest Portsmouth will finish is almost certainly 16th as a draw will confirm that and a defeat would mean Accrington would have to overcome an 18 goal swing in their favour. Stranger things in football haven't happened.

Whatever the finish, this season has been one to truly forget with most people expecting a challenge for promotion, although Andy Awford wasn't one of them given his interview today. What he said simply affirms further that he wasn't the right man for the job given that the squad he had at his disposal should have been capable of finishing in the top seven at least.

As for the match itself tomorrow, it's bound to be your typical end-of-season-match-with-nothing-to-play-for standard fare. It's expected Gary Waddock will stick with the diamond formation that served him well last week.

York will hopefully contribute to the match unlike last season's encounter which saw plenty of needle and not very much football. The Minstermen have nothing to play for either in what has been a disappointing season for them also.

The players will undoubtedly emerge for the traditional end of season lap of appreciation but it's doubtful many fans will remain at Fratton Park to see it as the players don't deserve any adulation and the fans will just want this season to be forgotten about as soon as possible.

Hopefully there will be a lap of honour this time next year for the fans to truly appreciate as the new man will have hopefully won promotion to League One.

Predicted Starting Line-Ups

Pompey

GK: Paul JONES

RB: Joe DEVERA

CB: Adam WEBSTER

CB: Johnny ERTL

LB: Dan BUTLER

DM: James DUNNE

CM: Danny HOLLANDS

CM: Ben CLOSE

AM: Jed WALLACE

CF: Craig WESTCARR

CF: Matt TUBBS

York

GK: Michael INGHAM

RB: Stephane ZUBAR

CB: Keith LOWE

CB: Dave WINFIELD

LB: John McCOMBE

RM: Brad HALLIDAY

CM: Russ PENN

CM: Luke SUMMERFIELD

LM: Michael COULSON

CF: Shaq COULTHIRST

CF: Jake HYDE

Last Time: Portsmouth 0 York City 1 (League Two - 22/03/2014)

Michael Coulson produced an unstoppable volley in the fourth minute as Pompey struggled to break down Nigel Worthington's men. Ben Chorley was sent off for a nasty challenge as Richie Barker's men lost and saw themselves end the day in the bottom two.

My Prediction

Hopefully we can enjoy the game but I'm not expecting anything special. Roll on next August.

Portsmouth 0 York City 0