AFC Bournemouth (H) 4th September 2012 JPT 1st Round

Hands up all those Pompey fans that can remember the Zenith Data Systems Cup and be honest (*Slowly raises own hand to the air). Hands up all those who can remember the equally ill fated Anglo Italian Cup – Well I remembered the ZDS Cup so I’m going to have to cop this one as well obviously. Finally who remembers playing in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy? Well if you did put your hand up then you’re obviously not a Pompey fan because tonight see’s our debut in the competition that fans have dubbed the Tin Pot Trophy ever since our neighbours won it in the 2009 – 2010 season. I’d like to be able to tell you that I have the foggiest about how the competition actually works but I would be quite frankly lying through my teeth and in all honesty if we don’t beat AFC Bournemouth tonight I’m sure I won’t be the only fan who isn’t crying into his pillow come the end of the day having been knocked out.

So with the aid of modern technology this is how the Cup works; 48 teams enter from Leagues One and Two and are assigned into one of four areas: Northern Section – East and West and similarly the same in the Southern Section. In Round One there are 16 games played in total between 32 teams with the remaining 16 receiving a bye to Round Two - and at this juncture if we make it past round two which I very much doubt, I will endeavour to discuss how the remainder of the competition works if and only if it’s very necessary to do so.

So tonight live on Sky Sports we take on AFC Bournemouth at home for the second time in under a month as Michael Appleton’s side search for their first victory in all competitions having been knocked out in the first round of the Carling Cup away to Plymouth Argyle and failing to collect a single league win from their opening four league games. Despite Bournemouth’s pre-billing as one of the fancied sides for promotion from League One this season they haven’t fared much better since the opening game of the season at Fratton Park and find themselves only two places and one point better off. Paul Grove’s men travel back down the south coast after a 5-3 loss to Sheffield United at the weekend following on from three successive 1-1 draws against ourselves, Preston North End and MK Dons.

Despite the close proximity between the two clubs they have only ever played each other 17 times in all competitions and at Fratton Park Pompey have the clear advantage historically – Of the 9 games played at home Pompey have a 55.56% win rate and Bournemouth have only ever won once. In those games Pompey have scored 19 times to Bournemouth’s 8 with Pompey’s biggest win coming in a 5-1 win in the FA Cup back in January 1991. Whilst the win count falls into Pompey’s favour just how seriously the two respective managers take the competition will be seen when Michael Appleton and Paul Groves announce their starting line ups later on today.