Craig MacGillivray: Portsmouth play-off heartbreak came down to not putting ball into net against Sunderland

The Blues’ season came to an end after being unable to overturn a one-goal deficit at Fratton Park.

Having lost the first leg 1-0 at the Stadium of Light, the Black Cats frustrated Kenny Jackett’s men and held them to a stalemate.

It means Sunderland will return to Wembley for a second time this season, rather than Pompey.

The hosts had three decent chances to get the tie back on level terms.

However, Gareth Evans, Oli Hawkins and James Vaughan were all denied by visiting keeper Jon McLaughlin. 

And opposite number MacGillivray, who suffered play-off pain for successive seasons, felt Pompey would have gone on to win the game if one of those chances had been taken.

He said: ‘It’s not a nice feeling.

‘Throughout the whole season, the lads have been grafting on a Tuesday and a Saturday but it’s come down to not being able to put the ball in the net.

‘If we scored one then it goes to extra-time but then generally when we score one then we go on to score another.

‘It’s frustrating and it will hurt for the next couple of days I’m sure but I’m sure the dust will settle.’