Another barnstorming strike by Barnsley’s prodigal son Adam Hammill lit up Oakwell on a drizzly, cold November afternoon against Portsmouth. Reds boss Mark Robins stuck with the same side that served him so well in last week’s 3-1 triumph at Ipswich and the Reds went into this game with Pompey looking for a third straight win, a feat that hasn’t been achieved since last October! On that occasion the three sides defeated were West Brom, Ipswich and local rivals Doncaster, who the Reds face at the Keepmoat Stadium in a fortnight’s time. Pompey did start the game the brighter side and within 30 seconds could have had the lead when Dave Nugent wriggled past Kieran Trippier but curled his shot wide of Steele’s far post. Doyle and O’Brien had chances to give the Reds an early lead but that was given to them on 13 minutes by another piece of Hammill brilliance. Hammill fed O'Connor down the left and the Scot's fine cross saw Lovre cushion a header down for the Liverpudlian on the edge of the area and he thumped a beautifully controlled and brilliantly struck shot right into the top corner for his 7th strike of the season. The Reds were now in the ascendancy and more good work from O’Connor found Bobby Hassell in a shooting position but the full-backs goalbound shot was blocked well. Referee David Foster was doing his best however to steal Hammill’s limelight and a series of bizarre decisions was opened by the booking of the impressive Nathan Doyle. The Reds midfielder turned Michael Brown and seemed to have been fouled himself but amazingly Foster brandished a yellow for Doyle, which means he will miss next Saturday’s home match with Watford. Reds fans were sensing another moment of Hammill splendour but when the flying winger cut infield, memories of recent goals against Hull and Preston were invoked but this time, his deviating shot sailed over the bar. O’Connor fizzed a shot just over before three Jim O’Brien shots gave Pompey keeper Jamie Ashdown something to think about. O’Brien’s first was fumbled by Ashdown but no one could pounce on the rebound and two more O’Brien drives were dealt with. The second half continued in the same fashion as the first, with the Reds bossing possession and attacking almost at will. Hammill and O’Brien were attacking the full-backs down either wing but there was just no end product to their crosses. Goran Lovre was helping out in the attacking for the Reds too and his header from an O’Brien cross was tipped onto the bar by Ashdown but another strange decision by the appalling David Foster saw Pompey get the goal-kick. The Reds were playing some glorious football and a lovely move involving all the midfield saw another great ball played in by O’Brien and O’Connor just couldn’t apply the finishing touch to what would have been a brilliant goal. Pompey did worry the Reds towards the end with centre-back Ricardo Rocha fired an overhead kick high over the bar and the Pompey fans were sent back on their 240-mile trip with nothing after Steele smothered at Nugent’s feet. Player Ratings Luke Steele: Didn’t have a lot to do at all, but when called upon he was solid and kept out Nugent at the death. 7 Kieran Trippier: Struggled to cope with the tricky John Utaka but settled into the game well and won some good tackles and headers. 7 Stephen Foster: Solid as a rock, him and Shackell didn’t even look ruffled by Portsmouth’s big strike force of Nugent and Dave Kitson. 7 Jason Shackell: Absolutely masterful display. Didn’t put a foot wrong and won every single header he attempted. Captain marvel. 9 Bobby Hassell: Exactly what we’ve come to expect from Bobby over the years, didn’t put a foot wrong again and looked dangerous coming forward. 8 Adam Hammill: Another splendid goal to add to his portfolio from this season and looked a constant danger down the right, we will do so well to hold onto him in January. 8 Nathan Doyle: HOOOOF! But that’s exactly what we needed today, if Pompey’s midfield was allowed to play then we may have been sitting here still on 22 points. He got stuck in and did pass well when he actually thought about it. Also did a lot of Colace’s dirty work. Booked. 7 Hugo Colace: Actually went into a couple of tackles today but still is whimping out of 50/50 balls and letting Doyle do all his tracking. Maybe could do with dropping with Arismendi and Butterfield waiting in the wings. 6 Jim O’Brien: Perhaps his best performance so far this season. Was tormenting Joel Ward and Ricardo Rocha and put in some really dangerous balls and made some really good runs. 7 Goran Lovre: Had a very good first half but faded in the second, except a header which clipped the crossbar. Was a dead man walking at the end following Robins’ bizarre decision not to use any subs. 7 Garry O’Connor: Worked his rocks off today with no reward. Set up Hammill’s goal with a good cross and could’ve got on the scoresheet but was unlucky. A great performance and I for one would love to see him sign permanently. 8 Subs not used: Preece, Arismendi, Butterfield, Hayes, Gray, Bennett, Neumann. Sponsors MOTM: Nathan Doyle. Tykesmad’s MOTM: Definitely Shackell. An impregnable wall, won everything in the air and on the ground. Pompey Man Of the Match: Jamie Ashdown. Made several good saves and it could’ve been a repeat of the Reds’ 6-0 drubbing of Portsmouth in 1999 if it weren’t for him. Referee: David Foster (Tyne and Wear) Absolutely appalling, bewildering decisions both ways and frankly, belongs in the Sunday League, not the second tier of English football. 2