Portsmouth 2-2 Blackburn: Colby Bishop earns a point for Pompey

John Mousinho made three changes from Pompey's dour 0-0 draw at Charlton with Bishop among those making way.

Tony Mowbray was also forced into making a change from Blackburn's win against Millwall as Yuri Ribeiro missed out with a hamstring issue and Harry Pickering came in.

The visitors started the brighter and Sam Morsy fed the ball through to captain Todd Cantwell inside the box, forcing the game's first corner via a deflected shot aimed point-blank at Daniel Bielica.

It was Pompey though who opened the scoring when Zak Swanson volleyed home past Rovers keeper Balazs Toth after Tyrese Shade's cross from the left was only half-cleared by Sean McLoughlin.

That lead lasted just seven minutes until Oladapo Afolayan netted his third goal in two games by converting a right-footed strike into the near post, making the most of a chipped ball played to him from the centre of the field by Pickering.

Bielica was forced into action again to scramble away Afolayan's flick-on from close range and then straight down the other end, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen scuffed an effort high and wide after a well-worked move which began with the receiving of a 40-yard diagonal switch from Madiodio Dia.

Abu Kamara was denied a first goal back in Pompey colours when Pickering timed a sliding challenge inside the penalty area well to clear the danger as the winger was preparing to shoot.

Home captain Marlon Pack received the game's first yellow card following a tackle in midfield on Rovers goalscorer Afolayan five minutes before the interval.

After surviving 10 minutes of Pompey dominance in the opening stages of the second half, Rovers took the lead for the first time in the game through Ryoya Morishita's drilled effort into the far corner, set up by Afolayan.

Mousinho's misery with injuries was further compounded by the forced withdrawal of Conor Shaughnessy, who pulled up unchallenged and had to be replaced after an hour.

His side did however claw their way back into the game when substitute Bishop inadvertently deflected in Kavuma-McQueen's right-footed effort after the Chelsea loanee did superbly to keep the opportunity alive for the hosts

Pompey had chances to snatch a third through Kamara and Bishop but were unable to find that late winner as the points were shared.

Both Mousinho and Mowbray will be relatively satisfied to head into the first international break of the season with a draw.

What the result means and next fixtures...