Boss reflects on Crewe stalemate
It was a clash between two sides who were not content to sit back and play for a draw.
But that is exactly what happened at Alexandra Stadium, as Crewe and Pompey ultimately cancelled each other out.
Paul Cook was not too concerned by the outcome, although concedes that his side need to develop a more clinical touch.
And he was pleased to see a contest between clubs looking to compete in a positive manner.
The Blues boss said: “I thought it was a decent game and a good advert for this league.
“There were two teams who played in the right spirits and it was fantastic to see – for the first time in a long while – no stoppage-time at the end of the first half.
“You have to give credit to both clubs because both of us gave it a right good go.
“Crewe have got their philosophy and I like the way we play, although we need to be more penetrative.
“We started the game really well and looked bright, but have to start scoring when we’re having those spells.
“There was a little bit of disappointment because we weren’t in the lead and Crewe were able to grow into the match a bit more.
“We were poor at the start of the second half, but the two substitutes gave us a lift when they came on.
We put enough quality into the box in order to score, but at the moment we’re not being aggressive enough in those areas.
“People are still learning about each other and finding their feet – there’s still a lot of football to be played this season.”
There was a blow in the second half when Jack Whatmough – who missed most of last season after recovering from a serious injury – limped off with a knee problem.
Cook said: “Jack’s injury doesn’t look good, but we’ll look to get an assessment as soon as we can and will have to wait and see what the outcome is.
“I thought he was excellent and you can see what quality he brings, so we’ll all keep our fingers crossed.”
Watch Cook’s thoughts on the game below or subscribe to Pompey PlayerHD for full post-Crewe reaction.