HEAT ON COOK TO FIND RECIPE
PORTSMOUTH manager Paul Cook admitted his side are under serious pressure to be one of League Two’s front runners following their goalless draw with Crewe.
Both sides drew a disappointing blank at the Alexandra Stadium as the Railwaymen maintained their unbeaten start to the season, while Portsmouth are still searching for a first win this campaign.
And though Cook feels his side are still in the process of gelling, he called for them to be more ruthless at the business end of the pitch.
“We’re under pressure now. Everyone speaks about us as ‘Pompey have got to go up, Pompey have got to do this’ and that’s good sometimes for other teams to have that cop out isn’t it,” he said.
“But when you take charge or manage clubs like ours or play for clubs like ours, that’s one of the reasons you’re here, because you’ve got to be able to deal with the pressure and perform.
“We need ten, 15 games for everyone to find their feet and the league will take shape.”
After Pompey dominated the opening phase, Crewe threatened when Charlie Kirk’s 17th-minute corner was played short to George Cooper, whose dangerous cross found Chris Dagnall, but the striker’s header was deflected wide.
Pompey’s Milan Lalkovic delivered a teasing 26th-minute cross, which Jon Guthrie hooked away with Gary Roberts lurking.
Christian Burgess had a moment to forget when he gifted possession to Ryan Lowe on the halfway line and the Alex skipper attempted an ambitious 40th-minute strike which sailed wide.
Lowe fed in strike partner Dagnall who turned and blasted off-target three minutes from the break.
Chelsea loanee Alex Kiwomya darted into the box and delivered a dangerous 69th-minute cross for Lowe, but the veteran striker missed the ball with the goal gaping.
Curtis Main could have given Pompey an 81st-minute lead after Kal Naismith’s low cross fizzed across face of goal but the substitute missed the loose ball under pressure.
Crewe boss Steve Davis was pleased with his side’s clean sheet.
“They kept their concentration well,” he said.
“They defended well throughout, obviously all the time they don’t get it right but on the whole I thought the back four was good.
“I thought we did alright, I felt it was a decent game considering there wasn’t any goals in it.
“I thought it was a good 0-0, a very competitive game and both sides I thought tried to win it and that was pleasing for me.
“It just needed a little bit of some individual to win the game and we weren’t able to do it and they weren’t, so I think fair play to both defences in the end.”
CREWE: (4-4-2): Garratt 6, Turton 7, Guthrie 8, Davis 8, Bakayogo 7, Cooper 5 (Kiwomya 59 7), Jones 6, Bingham 7, Kirk 6 (Ainley 66 6), Lowe 6, Dagnall 7. Subs not used: Richards, Ray, Nugent, Saunders, Udoh.
PORTSMOUTH: (4-2-3-1): Forde 6, Talbot 7, Whatmough 7 (Barton 74 7), Burgess 7, Naismith 7, Rose 7, Doyle 6, Baker 6, Roberts 6, Lalkovic 7 (Main 55 6), Smith 6 (Bennett 55 6).
Subs not used: O’Brien, Chaplin, Hunt, Buxton.