Portsmouth 3 Forest Green 1 : Jordan Cross’ match report as Aussie new boy lights up Carabao Cup success
He left to the acclaim of the 1,000-plus travelling Pompey fans ringing in his ears.
But there was still time for his manager to jokingly point out he should’ve had a hat-trick to his name, as Kusin Yengi flashed a smile in the same vein he’s lit up this start to his new team’s season.
Two goals and a trio of finishes in two games has got the Blues faithful talking about what they may just have unearthed, as John Mousinho’s side picked up a 3-1 Carabao Cup success over Forest Green.
Mousinho is preaching patience when it comes to the Aussie new boy, but the early signs are a striker of rich promise has been unearthed.
And quite possibly not the only one, as performances which speak of potential to be realised were served up amid eight full debuts at New Lawn
Mousinho opted to ring the changes in Gloucestershire, with 10 switches from the side who picked up a 1-1 opening-day draw with Bristol Rovers.
That meant a start for Yengi, after his late, late goal at Fratton Park with man of the match Christian Saydee also getting full bow
Ryan Schofield, Conor Shaughnessy, Jack Sparkes, Terry Devlin, Ben Stephenson and Abu Kamara were the other new faces starting against the League Two side.
Monday tea-time signing, Alex Robertson, had to settle for a place on the bench after his arrival from Manchester City yesterday.
Stephenson was making a quick return to the side he left at the end of last season, while Portsmouth-born Harvey Bunker was in the Forest Green starting XI.
Yengi could and quite possibly should’ve put Pompey ahead after just 85 seconds when Zak Swanson’s header was helped on Abu Kamara and the Aussie charged through but blazed his shot over the top.
Shaughnessy’s long throw caused havoc in the sixth minute when it was helped on by Kamara and was just cleared as the on-rushing Saydee looked to convert.
Bunker had the home side’s first decent opening a couple of minutes later, but blazed not too far past Schofield’s post from 25 yards.
The player was switching from end to end with Yengi lurking from another dangerous cross, which was put behind for a corner. He met a second delivery with his head which required Searle to make fine close-range reaction save.
The 24-year-old was at the centre of proceedings and picked up the evening’s first book for a late retaliatory lunge on Bunker.
An enterprising run from Sparkes then earned a free-kick, which the left-back delivered dangerously but no white shirt could apply the final touch.
It was the home side who made the breakthrough, however, midway through the half through striker Omotoye.
Schofield would have expected to do better as Shaughnessy was beaten by his charge down the right, with the striker then able to fire straight through the keeper.
Forest Green’s lead lasted six minutes with that man Yeni there to get his second of the season, following a wicked corner from Scully.
The right-back’s charge forward was picked up by Kamara’s perfectly-timed pass and the Arsenal arrival did the rest, firing in at the near post.
Schofield went someway to redeeming himself after being too easily beaten in the first half, as he dived full length to keep out Bunker’s 25-yard drive after 64 minutes.
And then it was time for Yengi to apply the final flourish amid the success, arrowing an unerring spot-kick beyond Searle after Kamara had been upended by Jamie Robson with 15 minutes left.
So a maiden victory for Pompey this season, but a run which stretches to 12 unbeaten games from last term – and importantly sturdy footings to build as Mousinho’s squad show its depth.
