Stoke City secured a stunning 6-1 victory against Portsmouth, as Tom Cannon scored four goals to give new boss Narcis Pelach an emphatic first win in the Championship.
The on-loan Leicester striker had not found the back of the net in the league since his double for the Foxes on New Year’s Day, but he broke his drought with a remarkable performance. Sam Gallagher also scored for Stoke, who took a commanding 3-1 lead by halftime.
The Potters were relentless, scoring five goals in a ten-minute flurry either side of the break, with Cannon netting two more, including a controversial penalty in the 48th minute. Andrew Moran, also on loan from Brighton, capped off the scoring with Stoke’s sixth goal after Mark O’Mahoney had briefly equalized for Portsmouth in the 29th minute. The loss marked a grim milestone for Pompey, as they set a post-war record of eight league games without a win at the start of a new season.
Match Overview
Stoke managed only four goals in their previous seven Championship matches but nearly took the lead within 30 seconds at the bet365 Stadium. Ben Wilmot hit the crossbar with a powerful left-footed strike, and Will Norris blocked a follow-up effort from Enda Stevens.
Stoke maintained their momentum, with Cannon narrowly missing a shot and Gallagher sending an effort into the side netting.
The breakthrough came in the 13th minute when Cannon opened the scoring by curling a free-kick past Norris after Marlon Pack was penalized for a foul on Gallagher.
Portsmouth responded well, with their equalizer coming in the 29th minute thanks to a quick throw from Norris that found Jacob Murphy. Murphy sprinted past defenders to set up O’Mahoney for the leveler. However, Stoke quickly reclaimed the lead just before halftime when Gallagher’s pass allowed Cannon to shoot left-footed past Norris.
Stoke was just warming up, as Moran intercepted a poor pass from Norris, assisting Gallagher, who unleashed a powerful shot from 20 yards out.
Norris’s rough night continued when he was deemed to have fouled Cannon, with the referee originally signaling for a free-kick to Portsmouth before changing his mind. Cannon calmly converted the penalty, adding to his impressive tally.
With this impressive victory, Pelach begins his tenure on a high note, while Portsmouth faces an uphill battle to turn their season around.
Credit: Sky Sports
