Sodje relishes physical showdown

Sodje made his return to the Blues starting XI after a seven-game absence in the 1-0 win over Rovers yesterday.

The centre-back paid a high price for his reckless red card at Oldham in February after punching Jose Baxter.

But Sodje was back in Pompey’s defence against Ronnie Moore’s side and played a big part in the team keeping a clean sheet.

The former Leeds man met the brute force he faced in strikers Mamady Sidibe and Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro head on.

He promised they are exactly the kind of battles he relishes and thrives on.

And he vowed he would continue to do that to the bitter death this season, as Pompey bid to climb out of League One’s bottom four.

Sodje said: ‘I live to defend like we did.

‘I want to head balls and do everything to protect our goal.

‘I have been around in this game to know that I have to be patient.

‘I made a silly mistake and I paid for that.

‘It’s about waiting for your next chance.

‘The manager knew that we were playing a big side and a strong side, so he felt I could do a job.

‘This was exactly the kind of game I enjoy.

‘I don’t want to lose against whoever I play and I felt I took my chance.’

Sodje brushed off injury concerns after he was left holding his hamstring following a first-half tackle.

He said: ‘It’s no injury.

‘I just haven’t played for a while and picked up some cramp.

‘I just get cramping up around my hamstring, but I’m fine.’