Page 3 - Michael Appleton News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Lincoln have appointed one of the first directors of innovation in the EFL and a rookie manager. Their aim is to ‘turn the dial’ sustainably

Blues boss Paul Jewell was delighted with his side’s third successive victory, Town leaving Fratton Park with a 1-0 victory over Portsmouth. Pompey manager Michael Appleton admitted his team were second best but believed his side had scored a second-half equaliser when Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’s knee diverted Greg Halford’s long throw into the Blues’ net.

Town manager Paul Jewell says he’s been impressed with the way his Portsmouth counterpart Michael Appleton has dealt with his club’s travails, despite only taking on his first managerial role in November. Yesterday, Pompey, who the Blues face at Fratton Park this evening, made an application to the High Court to go into administration for the second time in two years.

Damien Delaney replacing the injury Ibrahima Sonko at the heart of the defence seems likely to be the Blues’ only change when they take on Portsmouth at Fratton Park tonight looking for their third win in three games (KO 7.45pm). The Town stand-in skipper dislocated a rib in Saturday’s abandoned match against Middlesbrough and will be out for up to a month.

Pompey boss Michael Appleton says Town’s trio of targets Jason Pearce, Joel Ward and Stephen Henderson never wanted to leave his club during the transfer window, despite their ongoing crisis. The Blues had several offers rebuffed for central defender Pearce, while keeper Henderson and midfielder or defender Ward were unable to agree personal terms.