Obviously, having been in a winning position, Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Scunthorpe could well feel like two points dropped for Pompey, couldn’t it?
In reality a draw with Scunny – a decent side that’s been there or thereabouts for promotion in League One in recent years – isn’t a bad result but the Iron will clearly be the happier of the two sides following the Fratton Park meeting.
Jamal Lowe celebrated his newly signed contract extension with a first half opener but it wasn’t enough to see off a promotion rival as Kevin van Veen grabbed a second half equaliser for the visitors.
A point wasn’t enough to keep Pompey in the top six but a draw was seen as a fair result, according to Blues assistant Joe Gallen.
‘We deserved the lead at the break. Maybe we could’ve been two up and I did feel we’d need a second goal,’ Gallen was quoted by the News post-match.
Gallen added: ‘In the second half they came back into it more and their goal gave them confidence. In the end a draw was a fair result, but I was pleased with our battling performance where we played some decent football.’
Yes, all three points were wanted, when a goal up many would have expected us to see out the game, but it wasn’t to be for the Blues. We draw a line under this and move on to another couple of very tough games to end the month, firstly at Rotherham and then the visit from Shrewsbury.
On a personal note I’ll soon be back in the saddle having been sidelined and unable to attend any of the most recent Fratton games, which have at least ended in a three-game unbeaten run – long may this continue.
PLAY UP POMPEY
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2017-18 Prediction League – January
Rotherham (a) Saturday 20th January – click here.
Shrewsbury (h) Saturday 27th January – click here.
