Gerhard Struber is expecting a reaction from his Barnsley side to their 3-0 home loss to Preston North End on Tuesday when they visit Portsmouth in the FA Cup fourth round tomorrow.
Pompey are currently seventh in League One, outside the play-off places on goal difference, while they won the FA Cup in 2008 and reached the final again two years later. The Reds are hoping to reach the fifth round for the first time since 2013 following their 3-1 success at League Two Crewe Alexandra earlier this month.
Struber said: “We need a reaction to show our fans what we can do. We need a big motivation and all we can do is work very hard which should be the normal standard. We need to learn from the mistakes and grow up. Sometimes you go one step back but I hope on Saturday we go two steps forward.
“We are not happy with the last game but we will stay cool and I am hopeful that we can create the same performances like the games before Preston. “Barnsley has a big history in the FA Cup and we are looking forward to this game. Portsmouth have a very good atmosphere at home and a good plan when on the ball and a good transition.
“They are a very very good League One team but we are a good Championship team. We are the favourites and we must show why we are at the favourites.”
After losing in last May’s play-off semi-final to Sunderland then winning just one of their first seven league games of this campaign, Pompey have lost just three of their last 18 league games, winning ten. They have won their last five in all competitions following a 1-0 success at bottom club Bolton Wanderers in the league on Saturday then a 2-1 success at home to Scunthorpe United in the Leasing.com Trophy on Tuesday.
While they have collected just 12 points from their 12 away league games this season, their 20 home games in all competitions have brought 14 wins, five draws and only one defeat. The loss was in the EFL Cup to Premier League local rivals Southampton who are managed by Struber’s fellow Austrian and former team-mate Ralph Hasenhuttl.
Portsmouth and runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool are the only sides in the top four divisions of English football who have not lost at home in the league this season. Pompey’s only home league loss in the last year was the 3-2 defeat to Peterborough United in April which guaranteed Barnsley’s promotion.
Reds midfielder Cameron McGeehan is on loan to Portsmouth. He has started three games so far and scored against his former club Scunthorpe on Tuesday. He cannot play tomorrow.
Ryan Williams, another ex-Red, joined Pompey from Rotherham United last summer and returned from injury as a substitute at Bolton before starting against Scunthorpe. Conor Chaplin, Barnsley’s top-scorer, came through the Portsmouth youth system and scored 25 goals in 122 appearances, 86 of which were off the bench.
Kenny Jackett, the Portsmouth manager, has won three, drawn four and lost four of his meetings with Barnsley. This will be the 54th meeting of the two clubs, with Pompey having won 21 and Barnsley 18. The Reds’ last win over the south coast club was in February 2012, a 2-0 success thanks to goals in the last 15 minutes by Jim O’Brien and Matt Done.
Barnsley have won just one of their last 20 visits to Fratton Park, losing 13, since Glyn Riley secured a 1-0 win in 1980. The only victory in almost four decades was a 3-1 success in March 1999 when John Hendrie’s Reds came from behind thanks to an own goal in-between strikes by Craig Hignett and Bruce Dyer.
Their six visits this millennium have brought four losses and two draws – a 4-4 in 2002 in which late goals by Chris Lumsdon and Mike Sheron saw them come from 4-2 down with six minutes left, and a 0-0 in February last year in which Adam Davies saved a penalty. The two clubs have met once before in the FA Cup, with the Reds’ triumphing 1-0 at home in 1907.
Should the game be drawn, the replay is likely to take place on February 4 or 5. The draw for the fifth round is due to be broadcast on BBC One from 7.20pm on Monday. The fifth round takes place in midweek in early March.
