POMPEY BOSS RUES MO-MENT OF DESTINY
MO EISA’S header salvaged a point for Peterborough at Portsmouth to leave Kenny Jackett cutting a frustrated figure.
Eisa snatched a point 18 minutes from time after Portsmouth had come from behind to lead 2-1 through goals from Lee Brown and Ellis Harrison following Ivan Toney’s early opener.
With his side now three points from the play-offs, Pompey boss Jackett was left ruing what might have been.
“I have mixed emotions after that. I did feel we took the game to Peterborough,” Jackett said.
“We generally kept their front two quiet but then they got a goal apiece. However, I can’t think of another chance they created.
“We are disappointed. I don’t feel it was a point gained but two dropped because we were in a winning position and most importantly put in a winning performance.
“It was two poor goals to concede and I understand that Peterborough have their forwards who don’t miss many. It was a spirited performance, we had good tempo to the game, we took the game to the opposition.
“We had some big opportunities in the game that we didn’t take and then, ultimately, they got the goal back and the point.”
Toney took advantage of an error from striker-turned-defender Oli Hawkins to give Peterborough the lead after ten minutes with his 14th goal of the season from a yard out.
Brown got Portsmouth on level terms 16 minutes later by claiming his first goal for the club with a drilled free-kick.
Seven minutes after the restart John Marquis played in Harrison to put Pompey in front with a low angled shot inside the area that trickled over the line.
Eisa rescued a point with an emphatic header from six yards out from Dan Butler’s pin-point cross for his 13th league goal of the campaign.
Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson praised his side for fighting back away from home.
“At 2-2 I thought we were going to win it, I thought we had them on the ropes,” he said.
“Our reaction to going 2-1 down was outstanding. I said to them in the team talk to make sure you come off the pitch and I can say ‘I am proud to be the manager of that team’ and I can’t ask any more from them.
“I don’t know if they have as much belief in themselves as I do in them. There’s more in there and I need to try to find a way of getting it. It was at 2-2 that I was quite impressed with the team and we got complete control of the game and started doing what I wanted us to do.
“We gave away two soft goals. As the manager I’m never delighted with a point, but to come here and go behind you have to take it.”