Portsmouth head coach John Mousinho apologised to assistant referee Bhupinder Singh Gill for an alleged discriminatory comment made from the stands during Portsmouth’s 1-1 draw with Oxford.
Singh Gill drew attention to alleged offensive remarks made towards him during the second half at Fratton Park to referee Lewis Smith, with the club later appealing for information to help identify those responsible.
Smith paused the match and reported the comments to the fourth official before a Tannoy announcement was made to warn spectators about bad behaviour.
“A discriminatory comment was made to the linesman,” confirmed Smith.
“I think there was something said to the linesman on the far side,” said Mousinho about the incident.
“I’ve apologised to the linesman after the game if anything was said and I know that it will be dealt with appropriately.
“We heard the Tannoy announcement and everyone here will condone it.”
Oxford head coach Des Buckingham added: “It is not my place to say. There were comments made which the referee felt he needed to report but I’ll leave it to the referees to sort.”
Portsmouth later released a statement saying: “Portsmouth FC are appealing for information from supporters after a racist comment was heard at today’s game.
“The match was stopped in the 77th minute after the comment was directed at one of the referee’s assistants from either Block E or F in the North Lower.”
The incident put a negative on an otherwise entertaining clash, which saw Louie Sibley net his first Oxford goal to cancel out Brighton loanee Mark O’Mahony’s second strike of the week.
Sibley had only been on the pitch for 128 seconds before he unleashed a thunderbolt from the edge of the box to earn a point.
Buckingham said about Sibley: “He has had to be so patient all season and watched others go on before him.
“It was a wonderful finish by Louie. I see it every day in training.
“The goalkeepers in shooting practice tell him to take a little bit off it because he has an absolute sledgehammer of a shot.”
The U’s had lost their first three away games after their promotion from League One, but after ending that run against Luton on Tuesday, Buckingham is happy with the direction his side has taken.
He said: “I think it is a good point for us away from home against a team that came up with us last year and on the back of three games in seven days.
“We have played much better than that and come away with nothing in this league, so to get a point, I’m very happy.
“I think at home we have shown the team we are and how important those home points are going to be for us, and if we can pick up results on the road we will get to where we want to be.”
Pompey could have led inside four minutes when Elias Sorensen saw his penalty saved – and even after O’Mahony’s stooping header, they were twice denied off the line and struck the post.
After a 6-1 humbling by Stoke in the week, Mousinho was happy to have more control but disappointed not to win for the first time this season.
The former U’s defender said: “I felt we were well in control of the game and looked like to score a second but we weren’t good enough to do that. I’m really disappointed and we need to be better.
“We scratch our heads when the chances don’t go in, especially the double clearance off the line and the one that hit the inside of the post – which we all thought was in.”
