Owen Dale scores only goal as Portsmouth squeeze past Forest Green

Owen Dale’s second goal of the season gave Portsmouth all three points from a dour 1-0 win over bottom club Forest Green that at least kept their Sky Bet League One play-off dreams alive.

In a first half which saw more bookings than attempts on goal, it was difficult to see where one would come from.

Pompey were finding it hard to break down the back five of a team currently 11 points from safety.

A Colby Bishop header over the bar from a Tom Lowery cross after 10 minutes and a Michael Jacobs cross shot pushed behind for a corner were all that Pompey could muster while the visitors failed to produce a single effort.

Pompey managed to get that longed for goal in the 51st minute. A Joe Rafferty cross deep from the right to the far post saw Dale head past Ross Doohan.

Dale could have doubled the tally in the 71st minute, but he somehow managed to fire wide of an open goal.