EFL Sky Bet Championship
Monday 6 April 2026
Fratton Park, Portsmouth
Portsmouth… 2
(Anderson 9’, Dozzell 87’)
Oxford United… 2
(Spencer 48’, Lankshear 81’)
Oxford United conceded a late equaliser away to Portsmouth having fought back to lead against the 10 men at Fratton Park.
Will Lankshear’s goal with nine minutes to play looked to see United claim a vital comeback victory, but Dozzell equalised six minutes later to see the points shared.
It was a tense opening five minutes with chances either side. United had a couple of shots from distance, most notably from Yunus Konak, while Ciaron Brown almost turned into his own net all within the first moments of the game.
Portsmouth did however take the lead after nine minutes. A ball into the box wasn’t cleared and eventually fell to Keshi Anderson in the box who took his time to compose himself and fire into the top right corner.
On 17 minutes, it was a game changing moment as Connor Ogilvie saw a straight red for a foul on Stan Mills, and an opportunity for United to pounce on the 10 men.
United had 30 minutes to try and find an equaliser heading into the break. Half chances arrived with some dangerous crosses into the box, particularly from Mills, which couldn’t be converted.
A high energy half came to a close with United having it all to do in the second period, where Will Vaulks and Hidde ter Avest replaced Konak and Long.
And United got the equaliser inside three minutes with Brodie Spencer getting his first for the Club. Mills done all of the hard work, driving down the right wing before cutting onto his left foot from 25 yards out and curling a shot on goal. The keeper pushed the effort away from the bottom left corner and Spencer followed up to slide in.
United had the ascendency and continued to push for what could be a winning goal. Balls continued to drive into the Portsmouth box, without a clear opportunity arising as the game ticked into the final 10 minutes.
But just at that moment, the game turned as Will Lankshear scored a crucial goal in Oxford United’s season. Helik done the hard work, expertly turning on the corner of the box and curling a left foot cross to the back post for the Spurs striker who met it perfectly with his head to power into the top right corner.
Just as it looked to be ending in an important win for Matt Bloomfield’s side, with three minutes left Portsmouth made it 2-2. An overload down Oxford’s right saw a low ball cutback across the box for Dozzell six yards out who slotted into the bottom right corner.
It was a sucker punch for United as the game petered out into a draw. Up next, Watford at home on Saturday.
Portsmouth: Schmid, Ogilvie, Poole, Shaughnessy, Pack, Bishop, Dozzell, Devlin, Chaplin, Anderson, Caballero
Subs: Bursik, Williams, Swift, Segecic, Le Roux, Alli, Blair, Brown, Dia
Oxford United: Cumming, Long (ter Avest 46’), Brown, Konak (Vaulks 46’), Helik, Brannagan, Spencer (Placheta 64’), Mills, Lankshear, Donley, Peart-Harris (Harrs 79’)
Subs: Ingram, Prelec, Jin Woo, Makosso, McDonnell
Attendance: 20,356 (2,196 away)
