CHAMPAGNE ON ICE AFTER THE TROTTERS DENY POMPEY
JOHN Mousinho described Portsmouth’s draw at Bolton as “a fantastic result” despite the leaders’ bid for promotion and the title being put on hold.
Abu Kamara’s seventh minute goal put the visitors in front, but Aaron Collins’ fifth goal in three games after 36 minutes ensured Pompey need a point against Barnsley at Fratton Park on Tuesday to reach the Championship.
“It keeps Bolton at arm’s length which was an important thing for us to do,” said manager Mousinho.
“We came here for the win and during the game we made substitutions to try and win it.
“I think though on balance Bolton probably deserved to win it.
“I was displeased how we reacted to going a goal up. I thought we were poor.
“We made some poor decisions, slashed at a few clearances and didn’t do enough to track runners.
“It took Bolton equalising for us to click back into gear and decide we wanted to play and be more recognisable.
“We regrouped at half-time, and it was a much better performance in the second half. Hopefully, now we can get the job done on Tuesday. There was talk in the week whether it was better to go and do it at Fratton. But we were desperformance
perate to try and get the job done here.”
Nat Ogbeta hadn’t distinguished himself when Kamara raced beyond him to score with a low left-foot finish.
However, the former Manchester City prospect provided the assist for Collins to head in for a fifth goal in three games and his seventh since signing from Bristol Rovers.
It was nothing more than Ian Evatt’s side deserved in front of the club’s highest ever third tier attendance of 25,738.
Collins was denied a second by keeper Will Norris in first half stoppage time with Jon Dadi Bodvarsson unable to con
vert the rebound. Bodvarsson missed a great chance to win it for Wanderers after 69 minutes while substitute and leading goalscorer Dion Charles hit a post three minutes from time.
“It is frustrating but it hard to be too critical of the players,” said Bolton manager Evatt afterwards.
“Portsmouth are top of the league for a reason and bar the first seven to 10 minutes where we conceded a poor goal in transition to their most dangerous player, I thought we dominated.
“We had opportunities to win, missed a couple of big opportunities and had 19 shots to their five.
“When you watch a game you get a feel for who is the most dominant team and then the data backs it up. That was the case. It was a good
and we deserved more. Now we have to pick everyone up because we haven’t lost it.
“There can be turns left, right and centre. So, the most important for us is to win game on Tuesday (at home to Shrewsbury) and get it back to a point (on Derby).
“But we have to pick the players up because they are disappointed. They know we should have won the game.
“But now is not the time to be feeling sorry for ourselves.”