Burgess: Four victories '“ but Pompey can improve

A fourth successive victory and second place in League Two.
Christian Burgess scores Pompey's equaliser against Wycombe Picture: Joe PeplerChristian Burgess scores Pompey's equaliser against Wycombe Picture: Joe Pepler
Christian Burgess scores Pompey's equaliser against Wycombe Picture: Joe Pepler

Yet Christian Burgess believes there is still room for improvement following Saturday’s 4-2 triumph over Wycombe Wanderers.

Paul Cook’s side maintained their winning streak, despite having fallen behind to Paul Hayes’ 10th-minute opener.

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Burgess, a Gary Roberts penalty, Conor Chaplin’s stunning header and Carl Baker marked a four-goal turnaround in the hosts’ favour.

A negative was Hayes grabbing a second amid some defensive frailties to contrast to the Blues’ attacking might.

Pompey had recorded three successive clean sheets before Saturday – and central defender Burgess was disappointed in their contribution to the Fratton Park proceedings.

He said: ‘We started sloppy, we started slow, were not as good as we were last week and the two goals were disappointing from our point of view.

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‘At the other end I am delighted for the lads, but as a unit and whole team there is always something to improve on – and we will have to look at it.

‘We were speaking before about clean sheets and I said it’s not imperative, sometimes you do go behind and it happened on Saturday.

‘Don’t panic, regroup, we have a lot of attacking threat so just have to keep believing – and it paid off.

‘We have seen some fantastic keeping displays before at Fratton Park and I thought it was an entertaining game, very end-to-end.

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‘It just so happened Wycombe capitalised on their chances, Paul Hayes took his two goals very well and they showed a lot of character.

‘Wycombe posed a different threat and the first goal we probably need to look at it – I’m not sure exactly what more we could have done. Hayes made a great run and got across me and Tom (Davies)

‘With the second goal you have to anticipate it a little bit more. There were half-hearted clearances, I thought we had chances to clear it and you have to anticipate the ball coming back in – perhaps we were a bit slow to do so.

‘That being said, you are going to concede goals throughout the season – I am just delighted that at the other end we looked very good.’

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Still, Saturday was double delight for Burgess, who marked his 50th Pompey appearance with a goal – and crucially the leveller.

He added: ‘I got my head to the ball and as I went down I think it came off my heel.

‘That was the last touch, I definitely felt it – it was my goal!’

– NEIL ALLEN