We were creating at will, says Blues boss

DANNY COWLEY rued Pompey firing yet more blanks as they stretched their wretched run to 357 minutes without a League One goal.

Ethan Robson’s 72nd-minute close-range finish secured a 1-0 victory for MK Dons over the Blues on Saturday.

Frustratingly, it arrived following a Pompey corner – and during a lengthy period in which Cowley’s men had been on top.

Certainly the head coach believes the Blues had four ‘really good’ chances over the match, with Reeco HackettFairchild, John Marquis and substitute Ronan Curtis all failing to convert fine opportunities.

As it was, it’s a third straight defeat in all competitions for a Pompey side whose lack of goals continues to worry.

Cowley, right, told The News: ‘It’s disappointing to lose, particularly when we had a really good place in the game.

‘After 70 minutes, it felt there would only be one winner, we worked really hard to wrestle the control.

‘In the second half we came out and played with much more commitment against the ball, pressed much higher, stepped onto their back three and hoped to turn them over.

‘We had a period in the second half where we were creating chances at will – and unfortunately didn’t take them.

‘There were four really good chances, one in the first half as well, and probably three or four other really good moments.

‘People rightly will criticise us offensively because we haven’t scored for three (league) games and definitely have to look at our decision-making and execution at speed.

‘We have also got to look at the final action because we had some good chances to win the game.

‘We’ve worked really hard on our defensive transition and for their goal we just had to lock it in on the edge of the area – and didn’t.

‘Wedidn’thaveachance to tactically foul, which sometimes you have to do when a team is counterattacking, and didn’t track our runners.

‘Whenyoumakeafew errors, you tend to concede.’