Pompey’s Hampshire Cup adventure finally came to an end as a young side were beaten at Farnborough in the quarter-finals.
They held their own against Southern Premier League opponents for an hour, but the more experienced hosts eventually found a way through.
Mitchell Parker bagged a brace, while David Pratt and Michael Fernandes also found the target at Cherrywood Road.
With the first team dramatically seeing off Shrewsbury the previous night, the team that took to the pitch was full of players from the under-18s squad.
They were watched from the stands by Blues boss Danny Cowley, chief executive Andrew Cullen and academy manager Greg Miller.
Former Pompey ‘Player of the Season’ winner Ricky Holmes was sidelined for the hosts, but there were a couple of familiar faces in the Farnborough line-up.
James Whiting came through the youth ranks at Fratton Park, while substitute Frankie Sutherland had a loan spell on the south coast in 2013.
It was the more experienced hosts who looked likeliest to break the deadlock once the action began.
A string of corners were pinged into the area, while Paul Hodges and Parker both sent headers wide of the post.
And when Parker sent Pratt racing through on goal, Toby Steward was quickly off his line to make a smart stop.
Pompey had their first decent opportunity on 26 minutes following some good work on the right from Dan Gifford.
The ball was eventually worked across to Harry Jewitt-White on the edge of the box, but his effort was deflected wide.
Terrell Egbri – on loan from Southend – was proving a particular menace at the other end and he fired into the side netting.
It looked as though Farnborough would be going in ahead at the break, but Parker’s header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Steward.
Half Time: Farnborough 0 Pompey 0
Egbri once again showed his quality once the action restarted, angling in shot from the left that was just about palmed clear by Steward.
Pompey were trying to cause their own problems and Jewitt-White embarked on a purposeful run through the middle
He then threaded a pass through to Gifford, only for Romarni Medford-Smith to cut across and make a key interception.
Jewitt-White found more space to advance into just before the hour mark and fired in a shot that Jack Turner was able to hold.
But it was Fanrborough who broke the deadlock moments later, as Parker sent a delicate lob over Steward and into the net.
And Pratt soon doubled the home side’s advantage, racing into the box from the right and rifling a shot into the roof of the net.
Pompey kept battling away and were pushing forward in search of a goal that would put them back into the tie.
But Farnborough made sure of safe passage into the last four by taking advantage of an unfortunate Jewitt-White slip, with Parker turning and arrowing the ball into the bottom corner.
Still the visitors did not give up and a neat passing move between Gifford and Maxwell Hurst ended with Boro having to scramble behind.
It was their opponents who had the final say, though, as Fernandes managed to squeeze home from an acute angle late on.
Farnborough (3-4-1-2): Turner; Howard, Fearn (c), Medford-Smith; Thiselton, Emmanuel, Whiting (Sutherland 62), Egbri; Hodges; Parker (Butler 79), Pratt (Fernandes 66)
Goals: Parker 60, 74, Pratt 65, Fernandes 85
Subs not used: Young, Rose
Pompey (3-5-2): Steward; Kaba (c), J.Fox, Hughes; Kamavuako (Laidlaw 35), Bosaka (Hurst 69), Simpson, Jewitt-White, Bridgman; Gifford, Howell
Sub not used: Smith
Referee: Gary Parsons