Assistant head coach Jon Harley admitted Portsmouth almost have guaranteed goals in “constant threat” Colby Bishop after the striker scored one and set up another in a 3-0 Championship victory over Bristol City.
Bishop, who missed the opening 15 matches of the season after undergoing open heart surgery in the summer, has returned with two goals to kick-start Pompey’s season as they moved off the bottom of the table.
He netted the opener against the Robins and then slid through Josh Murphy, before Callum Lang added the gloss to make it three unbeaten matches for the south-coast side.
Harley said: “He’s made one and scored and is a constant threat. He’s a player you would hate to play against but if you have him on your team, it is like having a mountain.
“You are always backing him to score a goal or pop up with something. It has been huge to have him back as he was a big miss. Now he is back, it is important to capitalise on that.
“The last couple of years he has scored a hell of a lot of goals, he almost guarantees you goals.
“He has been really impactful for the team.”
Pompey never looked uncomfortable and led in the 20th minute when Bishop capitalised on a defensive mix-up. His first effort was saved by Max O’Leary before he lashed in the rebound.
He turned creator for Murphy after another City mistake had turned the ball over and then Lang tapped in at the back post after a clever Murphy cross.
Even though the hosts have dropped 14 points from winning positions this season – and City had earned nine – there was not to be a comeback.
Harley had been standing in for head coach John Mousinho, who was banned from the touchline and watched the match from the camera gantry.
The former Chelsea defender said “Even though he was up there, he was very impactful through the game.
“Although, all the work is done during the week, on a matchday there isn’t a lot you can do on the touchline other than throw your arms about sometimes. He’ll be back on Tuesday.”
It was also a first clean sheet in nine matches for Pompey, and Harley added: “It was a really professional performance. There was a real consistency about us.
“We wanted the clean sheet as well as that is something we haven’t had too many of recently. It was a nice feeling for the defensive players.”
Bristol City only managed two shots on target as they continued their trend of failing to win back-to-back matches this season.
When asked where it went wrong, boss Liam Manning said: “Pretty much everywhere. We were second best in most things; duels, second balls, quality on the ball, finishing, defending the box – so many areas.
“That has been unlike us. I will defend the lads if I think they will perform to a level but we didn’t hit that level today.
“Irrespective of results, the lads had hit a really consistent run of games so it was frustrating and disappointing.
“I like that the players in the dressing room took accountability.
“None of the lads intentionally go out and play like they did today, what we have to make sure is that it doesn’t happen very often.
“Overall, we didn’t deserve anything from the game. We have to go away and suck it up and learn from it.”
