Bishop Ends Drought as Portsmouth Draw with Blackburn in Thrilling Match

Colby Bishop has waited a long time for this. Almost a year. Dropped to the bench, goals dried up, questions growing. Then, under the Fratton Park lights, he finally found one.

His late header earned Portsmouth a 2-2 draw against Blackburn Rovers in a Championship contest that never really paused for breath.

Lightning start at Fratton

The tempo was set almost immediately. Blackburn’s Todd Cantwell forced Daniel Bielica into a save inside 22 seconds, a reminder that Portsmouth would not be allowed to ease into the evening.

But it was Pompey who struck first – and with style.

After just three and a half minutes, Jayden Meghoma whipped a cross in from the left. Sean McLoughlin could only head clear to the edge of the box, where Zak Swanson waited. The full-back met the bouncing ball with a crisp volley, guiding it through a crowd and past an unsighted Balazs Toth. One touch, one clean strike, one goal. Fratton roared.

The advantage, though, barely had time to settle.

Harry Pickering slid a clever pass into Oladapo Afolayan on the left corner of the area. The former St Pauli winger drove at Marlon Pack, shifted past him, and drilled a low right-footed shot towards Bielica’s near post. The keeper couldn’t keep it out. Blackburn levelled inside seven minutes, and the game was already wide open.

Rovers pounce on Bielica error

Chances kept coming. The standout in blue, Chelsea loanee Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, almost restored Portsmouth’s lead four minutes before the break. He seized on a weak pass from Toth, surged into the box and unleashed a fierce left-footed strike. Toth, to his credit, recovered to throw up a strong hand and push it away.

Portsmouth came out for the second half with intent. Kavuma-McQueen again tested Toth on 54 minutes, his shot palmed out, with Pack’s follow-up effort deflecting wide. The home side looked the sharper, the more aggressive.

Then came the lapse.

Three minutes later, Bielica’s poor clearance handed Blackburn the initiative. Kristi Montgomery stepped in to intercept and Rovers moved the ball quickly to the right side of the box. Ryoya Morishita, given a sight of goal, didn’t hesitate. The Japan international drilled a right-footed effort across Bielica and into the bottom left corner. From promise to punishment in an instant. Blackburn led 2-1.

Kavuma-McQueen shines, Bishop finally answers

Portsmouth refused to fold. Kavuma-McQueen, just 17, kept demanding the ball, kept driving at defenders. His persistence dragged them back into it.

Working space on the right of the penalty area, he spun away from his marker and thumped a powerful strike towards goal. It might have been heading in anyway, but Bishop made sure, glancing the ball in with his head from close range.

For Bishop, it was more than a touch. It was his first goal since April, only his fourth in a year. A reminder of what he can still offer, and a release of months of frustration.

Blackburn, who had climbed into control thanks to Bielica’s error, suddenly had to hang on. Portsmouth pushed again, the noise rising with every attack.

In stoppage time, Meghoma almost stole it. Driving into the box, he forced Toth into another sharp save, the Hungarian keeper standing firm to preserve Blackburn’s point.

Tight margins in the table

When the whistle went, both sides were left with something and yet wanting more. Blackburn sit 16th on nine points, Portsmouth a point and two places behind with a game in hand.

On a night of mistakes, momentum swings and a long-awaited goal, one question lingers around Fratton Park: if Bishop is truly back, how far can Pompey climb from here?