Boss reflects on Morecambe draw
Conceding an equaliser with the final touch of the game after trekking almost the full length of the country is tough to take.
But the opposition goalkeeper scoring to deny you three points is just adding insult to injury.
That is exactly what happened at the Globe Arena, however, when Barry Roche headed home a corner in the fourth minute of stoppage-time.
It cancelled out Gareth Evans’ first half opener in an encounter that – largely due to the windy conditions – was not easy on the eye.
And Paul Cook was left cursing the unlikely scenario that prevented his side claiming a vital victory.
The Blues boss said: “We scored a good goal and always looked in control of the match – it never felt like Morecambe would get an equaliser.
“But unfortunately they did and that’s the way it goes sometimes. We have to give Jim Bentley and his team credit for coming back.
“It’s disappointing but we have to get on with it. Come the end of the season they’ll add all the points up and you get what you deserve.
“There wasn’t a great amount of quality in the match, but it was a difficult night for playing football with the pitch and the conditions out there.
“We’ve been undone by a set-piece yet again and that’s becoming a bit of an Achilles heel for us.
“Great credit must go to our travelling supporters because it wasn’t a pretty game to watch and they backed us throughout.
“We’ll regroup now because it makes it even more important to win the games that are coming up for us.”
Pompey handed a debut to striker Michael Smith, who had agreed a loan switch from Swindon the previous day.
Cook said: “We threw him in at the deep end, but Michael has got great qualities and that was evident for spells in the first half.”