Southampton and Portsmouth, the results that forged the modern rivalry | OneFootball

The south coast derby is rarely routine, and ahead of Sunday’s renewal at Fratton Park we revisit results that shaped it.

According to Sainstmarching.com, Southampton and Portsmouth have met 72 times in senior competition since 1899, across league, FA Cup and League Cup. That span covers more than 125 years of Hampshire rivalry.

In January 1984, Steve Moran struck deep into injury time at Fratton Park to win an FA Cup fourth round tie. For Saints fans it became a defining hurt for Pompey, a goal etched into folklore.

In 2005, a 4-1 defeat at Fratton Park all but sent Southampton down from the Premier League. Yakubu, Nigel Quashie and Lomana LuaLua had the game won by half-time, ending a long top-flight run. Saints had won a recent cup tie, yet dropped leads in the league left them exposed by April and the rivalry hardened.

The 2011-12 meetings brought stalemate, despite Southampton’s superiority. It finished 1-1 at Fratton Park in December, then at St Mary’s Billy Sharp’s brace was cancelled by a very late David Norris strike, with Pompey kept in it by excellent goalkeeping. Nigel Adkins’ side won promotion 21 days later while Portsmouth were relegated to League One.

On 24 September 2019, Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side thrashed Pompey 4-0 at Fratton Park in the League Cup. Danny Ings scored twice, with Cédric Soares and Nathan Redmond completing a result that helped atone for 2005.

The most recent derby, at St Mary’s in September, was a tense 0-0 in front of the TV cameras. Will Still’s team looked disjointed, Portsmouth left satisfied simply to avoid defeat as rain fell and home advantage counted for little. These fixtures carve folklore, inflict scars and, when level, leave both sides unsettled.

Source: Sainstmarching.com