Gaffer: Pompey looked complacent on and off the pitch

Gaffer for a day Matt Yates gives his verdict on Pompey's 2-1 defeat at Doncaster Rovers.
Pompey substitute Conor Chaplin Picture: Paul Curries/Bluepitch MediaPompey substitute Conor Chaplin Picture: Paul Curries/Bluepitch Media
Pompey substitute Conor Chaplin Picture: Paul Curries/Bluepitch Media

An awful start and I suppose there was no coming back from that?

To concede two goals in the opening six minutes was really disappointing and we left ourselves with far too much to do.

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I thought at the start we looked a bit complacent having won the last two league games, we seemed to take our foot off the gas.

But there was also complacency among the crowd, thinking we should get three points at a place where we haven’t got a good record.

What did you make of Dion Donohue’s sending off?

From where I was, there was a bit of confusion as you couldn’t see what had happened.

Their fans stood up cheering, their bench also reacted, while everyone on Twitter said it was deserved.

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It was at a time when we were looking like getting back into the game – then that happened.

You don’t know whether we would have got anything with 11 men – but the sending off certainly didn’t help.

Anyone stand out for you?

Conor Chaplin was my man of the match, he really pepped us up when he came on and also hit the post with a free-kick.

You have to give Kenny Jackett credit for being bold with his two changes at half-time to introduce Chaplin and Jamal Lowe – and the pair of them put a bit of pace into the side.

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They also gave energy and urgency we didn’t possess in the first half and Conor was the stand-out performer.

Lowe had that header in the last minute, which the keeper made a good save from, but both subs had a decent impact.

A landmark game for Chaplin, too.

Yes, what a good achievement for him to make his 100th Pompey appearance.

He’s a good player and although we might put a bit too much pressure on him sometimes, not many 20-year-old’s up and down the leagues have played 100 games.