Portsmouth v Charlton Athletic

CHARLTON striker Marcus Bent is backing team-mate and old friend Ben Thatcher to ride out the storm that awaits him on Saturday at Fratton Park.

Thatcher faces Portsmouth for the first time since the infamous August incident when his forearm smash on Pompey’s Portuguese midfielder Pedro Mendes, while playing for former club Manchester City, put his victim in hospital and saw the Football Association impose an eight-game ban on the left-back.

Thatcher apologised to Mendes but knows he faces a hostile reception from Pompey fans.

Bent, who got to know Thatcher well during their time together at Leicester, said: "I’ve spoken to Ben and he knows the Portsmouth fans will not take kindly to him.

"As a professional footballer he must move on and do the best he can in coping with the pressure he’ll be under.

"Ben is a fiery player but he made a public apology in the press and has spoken to Mendes expressing his regret. Ben will play his normal game on Saturday which means there will be tackles flying in from him."

Hampshire police have confirmed that they will not be introducing extra security measures for the match.

Charlton will be without midfielder Andy Reid who made his comeback against Middlesbrough last week only to suffer a recurrence of hamstring trouble.

Skipper Luke Young and leading scorer Darren Bent remain out of the reckoning through injuries.

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