‘We must find ways to break down sides who try to frustrate’
Pompey must learn how to combat football’s ‘dark arts’ if they are to achieve their promotion ambition.
That’s the verdict of Marlon Pack, following the frustration of a third successive draw which all but marks the end of their League One playoff interest.
The midfielder grabbed an 82nd-minute leveller at Shrewsbury on Saturday, nodding home from close range after Connor Ogilvie had headed the ball back across goal.
It secured a 1-1 draw, with the Shrews then reduced to 10 men following Tom Flanagan’s second yellow card.
Yet it remained a poor showing from John Mousinho’s team who, yet again, were unable to break down stubborn opposition.
Pack told The News: ‘I feel there’s momentum with the team and it’s probably heading in the right direction, but that hasn’t been the case in the last three games.
‘These are matches everyone expects us to win – and we do ourselves – but maybe we have to do a little more and really stamp our authority on the game.
‘Against Shrewsbury we played so-so.
‘Some good stuff and a disappointing goal to concede when I didn’t feel any threat from a defensive perspective.
‘It has been a common theme recently with teams trying to frustrate us.
‘Whether that’s the dark arts or time wasting, that’s something we need to combat.
‘Teams are going to respect us, we need to find a way to break them down and be really clinical when we create those chances, which I still feel like we did.
‘That’s probably why we are not in the top six at the minute.
‘Sides either chasing the automatics or the play-offs have, at times, been really clinical and taken those chances. Especially at this stage of the season.
‘You have opposition like Shrewsbury. Footballers are never on their holidays, but they’re not exactly playing for a promotion or a relegation, so it can be a tough team to play because they play with freedom and purpose. Maybe at times we have been a little guilty of trying to force it because we desperately want to win the game.
‘At this stage of the season we want to win and we want to win well or perform at a high level, but it’s the results which are most important.
‘And when you don’t do both, it’s even more frustrating.’
Now Pompey head to struggling Oxford United tomorrow night, with Mousinho’s side six points off the play-offs with four games left.
Yet Pack is not ready to give up hope just yet.
He added: ‘We have a lot to do, to be honest.
‘Before the game you don’t want to be relying on other teams, but that’s the position we find ourselves in with the two previous games and Shrewsbury.
‘No-one seems to be running away with it, which gives us hope, and until it’s mathematically impossible we will keep going.
‘It’s a disappointing dressing room again.
‘We’ve got a quick turnaround and focus must turn to Tuesday, where there’s an Oxford team that are fighting for their lives.’