POMPEY SWITCH PAYS OFF AS CAM EYES WEMBLEY

REACHING Wembley in the Leasing.com Trophy is another sign that Cameron McGeehan made the correct choice when he joined Portsmouth on loan early last month.

- John Lyons

Despite playing a major role as Barnsley won promotion from League One last season and getting a decent amount of game time in the second tier this term, it became clear in the new year that midfielder McGeehan wasn’t part of new Tykes boss Gerhard Struber’s plans for the second half of the season.

The 24-year-old weighed up his options and decided the best one was to drop down a division to sign for Pompey on loan until the end of the season. Up to now, it’s proved an inspired decision.

Heading into yesterday’s visit to Fleetwood, he’d played nine games for the buoyant south coast club – and won eight of them. And Pompey are flying on three fronts – they were sixth in League One pre-weekend, just fourth points off the top, have a mouthwatering FA Cup fifth round tie at home to Arsenal to look forward to tomorrow week and are heading to Wembley in the Leasing.com Trophy.

Buoyant

It looked like their Trophy bid was about to crumble when Exeter took the lead not once, but twice in the last 12 minutes at Fratton Park on Tuesday night, first though Jake Taylor (78 mins) and then with a Christian Burgess own goal (89).

However, holders Ports-mouth – who beat Sunderland on penalties in last season’s final – refused to throw in the towel. Marcus Harness netted their first equaliser in the 86th minute and McGeehan popped up to level a second time in the first minute of injury time.