POMPEY HIT A SPOT OF BOTHER
DANNY Cowley was worried by Portsmouth’s performance for the first time in a disappointing defeat to MK Dons.
Cowley’s tenure started with four victories on the bounce but it’s now three games without a win after a frustrating reverse, sealed by Scott Fraser’s penalty.
Pompey also went down to ten men when Jack Whatmough was given his marching orders late on and Cowley wants the result to serve as a warning.
“It’s been a disappointing week, there’s no hiding place from that,” he said.
“I want so much more for us and this football club. I thought we created enough chances in the first half to win the game. The first goal is always important against an MK Dons team who want to play a possession-based game.
“You then have to go and chase the game and create spaces, which is probably what happened. We have to be more clinical and ruthless.
“Jack getting sent off has compounded the defeat and, in this league, MK Dons are the worst team you want to go down to ten men against.
“For the first time there were some things I didn’t like in our play. We need to be a little bit tougher, we need to be more in control of our emotions and we need to be more together. Excuses never won anyone anything in life.”
After a cagey opening, Matt O’Riley struck the bar, then nodded a close-range header wide for the hosts.
Portsmouth fired a warning of their own as John Marquis’ overhead kick was clawed away by Andrew Fisher.
Ethan Laird forced a breakthrough when he was tripped by Charlie Daniels inside the box and Fraser converted the spot-kick.
Two goal-line blocks prevented Will Grigg from doubling the lead.
Fraser’s volley rattled the bar for the hosts before Tom Naylor headed on to the woodwork at the other end.
Chances dried up for both sides before Whatmough was dismissed for a reckless foul as MK Dons held on. It was a first win in four for the home side and enough to propel them to within seven points of the play-offs, with manager Russell Martin full of praise for the performance.
“We were playing against a team fighting for promotion with a real good chance of the play-offs and energised under a new manager,” he said.
“We always knew it was going to be tough but I really liked it. I think it got a bit messy in the second half at times, but we were playing against a really good team who were committing a lot of people forward because they were losing the game.
“I thought we looked really dangerous, really threatening and got into their box on numerous occasions.
“It is a brilliant reaction from Tuesday’s 4-0 loss against Lincoln.”