No professional side in England has managed more than the 26 league goals scored by Pompey so far this season.
But their radar was slightly off against Oxford, despite Sean Raggett’s fine header giving them the lead at Fratton Park.
Fellow centre-back Jack Whatmough hit the bar, while John Marquis and Ronan Curtis were both unable to convert promising opportunities.
It meant that Alex Gorrin’s penalty was enough to earn Oxford a 1-1 draw and leave Raggett feeling frustrated.
He said: “I think we deserved the win because we had most of the chances in the game – and we’ve been taking them recently.
“We’ve scored an awful lot of goals already this season and, on this occasion, it just didn’t quite work out for us.
“But that can happen and we’re not going to get three or four in every game. When it’s like that, we have to keep things tight at the back.
"I think we deserved the win because we had most of the chances in the game – and we’ve been taking them recently."
“I think we did that for the most part and it’s just unfortunate that we’ve given away a penalty – one which I think was harsh. Personally, it looked like a good tackle from Jack.
“But we’re still in a nice position and anyone can beat anyone in this league, so I’m positive we can finish in that top two.
“If we keep creating that level of chances then with the forward players we’ve got, we’ll win a lot more games.”
It was a surprise to still see Raggett up the pitch to convert a Curtis cross after Whatmough’s set-piece had initially been cleared.
He explained: “I know that Ronan can put in a good ball and I’d scored one last season when I’d stayed forward from a free-kick.
“So I thought that I’d try my luck again. It was a great delivery into the box and I just had to get my head on it.
“I always feel like I’ve got a few goals in me and so I do want to contribute more of them this season.”