I won't lie and say that I'm not gutted to be missing out on Bashley away days this season, I loved them last year, despite our troubles on and off the pitch. This season however, I've dedicated my Saturday mornings to work, meaning that travelling with the team isn't plausible. On the plus side, Bashley playing away does mean I can fit in some more groundhopping, which is what we're all here to see.
What with the mighty Bash winning 2-0 away at promotion chasing Taunton Town (I'm still grinning from ear to ear), I took my free afternoon to tick off the 25th ground of my travels. One I've been meaning to do for a while in fact, Fratton Park, home of Portsmouth FC. Having bought Weymouth fan James a ticket for the AFC Bournemouth vs Brighton game in late October, he kindly returned the favour and sorted out my ticket for this fixture. We were joined by Dorchester Town fan Charlie, and headed onwards to Fratton for my 25th tick of the Stadium Trotter adventure.
As with all of my hops, I boarded the train at New Milton station, meeting James and Charlie on the train. A quick change at Southampton Central, and we were soon headed for Fratton, discussing all things non-league. Having de-trained at Fratton station, it wasn't long before we found ourselves mingling with Pompey fans in the short walk over to the ground. We arrived at just gone two, before making our way over to the ticket office to collect our reservations. James had ordered last week by telephone, and asked for them to be posted, but the Pompey ticket office made a horrendous cock-up. Instead of posting the tickets to James' address as requested, they instead ended up in Bedford somewhere. So, if that person was you, Merry Christmas.
I have my own rule in which I buy a scarf from every 25th ground I visit, and as such, today was a monumental 'tick'. 25 grounds down, thousands more to go.
With scarf purchased and proudly draped around my neck, we entered Fratton Park. Much to our delight, we had tickets in the Fratton End. Not a murmur of complaint from any of us there. Taking our seats, I noted down my teamsheet and took a look at my surroundings. Fratton Park is a lovely ground with a traditional, football feel to the place. Sitting in the Fratton End, we found ourselves opposite to the away end (which today held 729 travelling Wycombe fans - congratulations in order there), with the North Stand to my left and the South to my right. Neither stand looks or feels the same, and as aforementioned, the ground has a cracking buzz to it. It was certainly helped by the Pompey fans we sat with, who sang for 90 minutes, and made for a brilliant atmosphere. So much so, midway through the second half, James attempted to give me a score update from a game elsewhere, but I couldn't hear him through the noise the Pompey fans were making. I couldn't help but smile.
What with the mighty Bash winning 2-0 away at promotion chasing Taunton Town (I'm still grinning from ear to ear), I took my free afternoon to tick off the 25th ground of my travels. One I've been meaning to do for a while in fact, Fratton Park, home of Portsmouth FC. Having bought Weymouth fan James a ticket for the AFC Bournemouth vs Brighton game in late October, he kindly returned the favour and sorted out my ticket for this fixture. We were joined by Dorchester Town fan Charlie, and headed onwards to Fratton for my 25th tick of the Stadium Trotter adventure.
As with all of my hops, I boarded the train at New Milton station, meeting James and Charlie on the train. A quick change at Southampton Central, and we were soon headed for Fratton, discussing all things non-league. Having de-trained at Fratton station, it wasn't long before we found ourselves mingling with Pompey fans in the short walk over to the ground. We arrived at just gone two, before making our way over to the ticket office to collect our reservations. James had ordered last week by telephone, and asked for them to be posted, but the Pompey ticket office made a horrendous cock-up. Instead of posting the tickets to James' address as requested, they instead ended up in Bedford somewhere. So, if that person was you, Merry Christmas.
I have my own rule in which I buy a scarf from every 25th ground I visit, and as such, today was a monumental 'tick'. 25 grounds down, thousands more to go.
With scarf purchased and proudly draped around my neck, we entered Fratton Park. Much to our delight, we had tickets in the Fratton End. Not a murmur of complaint from any of us there. Taking our seats, I noted down my teamsheet and took a look at my surroundings. Fratton Park is a lovely ground with a traditional, football feel to the place. Sitting in the Fratton End, we found ourselves opposite to the away end (which today held 729 travelling Wycombe fans - congratulations in order there), with the North Stand to my left and the South to my right. Neither stand looks or feels the same, and as aforementioned, the ground has a cracking buzz to it. It was certainly helped by the Pompey fans we sat with, who sang for 90 minutes, and made for a brilliant atmosphere. So much so, midway through the second half, James attempted to give me a score update from a game elsewhere, but I couldn't hear him through the noise the Pompey fans were making. I couldn't help but smile.
With both sides fighting for promotion already in League Two this season (Portsmouth were 9th going into this one, a point outside of the play-offs, with Wycombe sitting a pretty third and in the last of the three automatic promotion spots), it was no surprise to see both sides go at each other early on. My pre-match excitement about Jed Wallace was fulfilled as the midfielder spent the first ten minutes tormenting the visiting defence, but nothing of note came of it. The rest of the half was pretty drab at best, with both sides more or less just looking to punt it in behind each other.
The second half wasn't a great deal better, but there were at least a couple of goals to discuss. Wycombe took the lead through Sam Wood on 50 minutes, after some shoddy defence allowed the attacker a yard or so to swivel and toe poke the ball past Paul Jones into the Pompey net from only a few yards out. Austrian centre-back Johnny Ertl had replaced Jack Whatmough at half-time, and it was he that provided the finishing touch to give the hosts an equaliser, despite having seen his side waste a good couple of chances and smash the crossbar since conceding. 31 year-old Ertl rose highest from a Dan Butler corner to drill his header past Matt Ingram with twenty minutes to go, but that's the way it stayed until full-time.
Full-time score;
Portsmouth 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers (Att: 16,171)
(Ertl 70') (Wood 50')
Going into the game, I'd only heard two things about Fratton Park. Firstly, the Fratton End makes for a brilliant atmosphere. It does, it really does. I loved it. Secondly, you get no leg room. I didn't find it too bad and I'm not exactly short, but I'm told the away end is particularly bad for this, so I couldn't tell you for definite. Fratton Park is a cracking ground, and I fully intend to return in the near future. If you do visit, make sure to look out for a Mr. John Portsmouth (he's made the header photo of this article). Pompey through and through, the man is a true gent and came across as a really nice bloke.
Cheers Portsmouth!
Sheridan
Full-time score;
Portsmouth 1-1 Wycombe Wanderers (Att: 16,171)
(Ertl 70') (Wood 50')
Going into the game, I'd only heard two things about Fratton Park. Firstly, the Fratton End makes for a brilliant atmosphere. It does, it really does. I loved it. Secondly, you get no leg room. I didn't find it too bad and I'm not exactly short, but I'm told the away end is particularly bad for this, so I couldn't tell you for definite. Fratton Park is a cracking ground, and I fully intend to return in the near future. If you do visit, make sure to look out for a Mr. John Portsmouth (he's made the header photo of this article). Pompey through and through, the man is a true gent and came across as a really nice bloke.
Cheers Portsmouth!
Sheridan