The Blues and The Tigers play out a stalemate at Fratton Park on the final day of the 2024/25 Championship season.
A point was enough for Rubén Sellés’ side to confirm their second tier status for next season, thanks to West Brom’s 5-3 win over Luton Town, who will join Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle in League One next season.
It was not quite a trophy lift for the Blues like last season's title winning campaign in League One, however the 20,000+ Blues fans stayed and showed their support during the players’ lap of appreciation at full-time to the end of what has been a whirlwind of a season back in the Championship for the first time since 2012.
For Pompey, Championship safety was confirmed much before today’s lunchtime kick off, with many before the Easter Weekend thinking that today’s tie could have been a crunch match for both sides to fight at staying in the division.
Into the action and The Tigers quite literally started things off like a team that were fighting for their lives, with multiple chances at goal in the opening stages, testing Pompey keeper Ben Killip who started back to back games for the Blues.
Hull ultimately found their breakthrough via a Joe Gelhardt corner, which found Matt Crooks who tapped the ball home to make it one-nil to the visitors 20 minutes gone.
Half-time: Portsmouth 0-1 Hull City
Callum Lang was Portsmouth’s first substitute of the afternoon, with the attacker coming off Christian Saydee at half-time, who came on to make an instant impact in the second 45.
Captain Marlon Pack played the ball through on goal to Saydee, who then smashed the ball past Ivor Pandur’s near post to make it one-all just ten minutes into the second half.
Conor Shaughnessy came off for Regan Poole an hour gone as a precaution, with the defender not having many Championship minutes in a season that the Irishman has battled with constant injury troubles, despite practically playing every game last campaign.
Abu Kamara came off for Hull, with the former Norwich loanee receiving a standing ovation from the entire of Fratton Park, for his efforts at Portsmouth last season.
It was then another standing ovation, this time Freddie Potts who played his final game as a Pompey man and will return to West Ham ahead of pre-season, with the hope of potentially playing Premier League football under Graham Potter next season.
And Club captain Marlon Pack also came off after he over stretched his right leg in an attempt to pass the ball, with the veteran midfielder also receiving warm reception from the home fans.
Despite safety already being confirmed late on with Luton unable to come back against West Brom, Hull nearly won it at the end, but Charlie Hughes' header from a corner hit the inside of the post in the dying moments of the game.
Full-time: Portsmouth 1-1 Hull City
Portsmouth: 36. Killip (GK), 24. Devlin, 6. Shaughnessy, 35. Atkinson, 3. Ogilvie, 7. Pack (C) (45. Hayden), 8. Potts (21. Dozzell), 29. Blair (30. Ritchie), 49. Lang (15. Saydee), 23. Murphy, 9. Bishop
Unused subs: 13. Schmid (GK), 5. Poole, 11. O’Mahony, 14. Gordon, 18. Bramall
Goals: Saydee 55’
Head coach: John Mousinho
Hull City: 1. Pandur (GK), 2. Coyle (C), 12. Egan, 6. Hughes, 6. McLoughlin, 20. Puerta, 24. Crooks, 30. Gelhardt (45. Palmer), 44. Kamara (16. Lincoln), 28. Joesph (48. Burstow), 12. Joao Pedro (5. Jones)
Unused subs: 32. Lo-Tutala (GK), 17. Burns, 19. Alzate, 23. Drameh, 37. Amrabat
Goals: Crooks 18’
Bookings: McLoughlin 14, Crooks 44’
Head coach: Rubén Sellés
Venue: Fratton Park
Referee: John Busby
Attendance: 20,420 (Including 2,161 Hull fans)
A bumper edition of the Pompey Live: Extra-Time podcast is now available to listen back to - Jake Smith was joined at Fratton Park alongside Kirsty Roxanne, James Wilson, Dean Adams, Jordan Cross and Alan Knight to review Portsmouth's 2024/25 campaign, preview the game against Hull City and react to the events of the match too.
For even more reaction to the Blues' final day encounter with The Tigers, join Jake for the return of The Football Hour this Bank Holiday Monday (May 5th) from 6pm!
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