Credit: Imago

Keith Hackett

Fri 18 April 2025 20:15, UK

Portsmouth recorded an outstanding 5-3 victory away at Norwich City, but there were some contentious decisions.

Pompey ran riot at Carrow Road as striker Colby Bishop scored an excellent hat-trick, in one of their finest moments of the season.

The result means that Portsmouth are on the verge of securing Championship safety, in their first season in the Second Division in over a decade.

Bishop’s hat-trick was a ‘perfect’ one as he scored with his head, right foot and left foot, but one of these goals did come from the penalty spot.

Keith Hackett verdict on Portsmouth penalty v Norwich

Bishop’s second goal came from the spot, with a penalty awarded in injury time of the first half after Isaac Hayden was brought down by Marcelino Nunez.

Referee Thomas Kirk pointed to the spot, and Bishop converted his penalty with a powerful finish.

Speaking exclusively to Pompey News, former FIFA referee Keith Hackett insisted that the penalty was the right decision.

“When you make a challenge coming in from the side and with a looping left leg your first point of contact is with your opponent,” he stated.

“He left the referee with no other option than to award a penalty kick for a poor challenge.”

Portsmouth run riot away at Norwich

Portsmouth headed into their clash at Norwich with one of the worst away records in the Championship, but they beat their demons to record one of their best wins of the season.

Pompey have struggled for goals at times away from home this season, with just 19 strikes in 21 games prior to this trip, but they hit five in a game for the first time in the Championship season.

Even without the penalty, Portsmouth had too much in attack for Norwich to handle, with Bishop a nightmare to defend against, and it was an excellent day for John Mousinho’s side.

Mousinho will now be confident that Pompey can beat the drop in what has been a promising first season back at this level.