JACKETT: I’M STILL THE RIGHT MANAGER!
PORTSMOUTH manager Kenny Jackett remains adamant he is still the right man for the job after his side’s poor form continued with a heavy defeat at Northampton.
The Cobblers moved out of the relegation zone thanks in no small part to a remarkable 23-minute spell in the first half when they scored four times. Ryan Watson’s brace set them on their way before further goals via Fraser Horsfall and Sam Hoskins rendered Ellis Harrison’s penalty a mere consolation.
But Pompey still occupy a play-off place, despite winning only one of their past six matches.
“The goals are very disappointing,” said Jackett. “We talked through them with the players because the first three were all set-pieces.
“The fourth goal is a ball over the top. We were in control, but it turned into an opportunity for them to chip it over the goalkeeper, which they did.
“We’re very disappointed and need to compete. Every manager is under pressure and when you’re 4-0 down at halftime, that comes with the territory. We have a good group and want to do well. We’re confident we can turn it around.”
The game started slowly but it soon burst into life in dramatic fashion.
Watson opened the scoring after 21 minutes when Mickel Miller was fouled and he curled a superb free-kick into the top corner, leaving Craig MacGillivray grasping at thin air.
And the in-form midfielder wasted no time in scoring his second, heading in Miller’s corner just two minutes later, for his sixth goal in five games.
Northampton had a third just past the half-hour mark as another Miller corner caused problems and Horsfall forced the ball home from close, and it was to get even better when Hoskins’ wonderful effort floated over MacGillivray.
Portsmouth tried to get back into the game in the second half as Jordi Hiwula dragged a shot just wide, before Harrison scored from the spot after Harvey White was brought down, but that was only a consolation.
The win made it back-to-back wins for the first time all season for Northampton.
“I’m delighted,” said Jon Brady, who will take charge of the Cobblers for the rest of the season.
“The boys worked extremely hard and they got their rewards for it, especially in the first half.
“You can see from the organisation out there that the players have clarity in their roles. We’re closing off spaces and we’re not letting teams break us down.
“There’s clarity between every player and they’re connected between units and we’re really working on this connection. We feel it’s paying us dividends at the moment. It’s important to be out of the bottom four, but we’re nowhere near out of the danger zone.”