Devera sees positives in defensive display

Joe Devera felt defensively Pompey deserved credit despite conceding their advantage so late at Cheltenham.
Joe Devera wins the ball to head clear. Picture: Joe PeplerJoe Devera wins the ball to head clear. Picture: Joe Pepler
Joe Devera wins the ball to head clear. Picture: Joe Pepler

Jermaine McGlashan netted a 92nd-minute equaliser to break the Blues’ hearts and secure a 2-2 draw for the hosts.

Under-pressure Pompey had appeared to be holding on to claim a first League Two away win of the season.

It would have been fully-deserved.

Joe Devera wins the ball to head clear. Picture: Joe PeplerJoe Devera wins the ball to head clear. Picture: Joe Pepler
Joe Devera wins the ball to head clear. Picture: Joe Pepler

But the Robins hit back to level.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

That made it three successive 2-2 draws for the Blues on the road in the league – having led 2-1 in all those contests.

Devera was still satisfied with the way the Pompey defence performed, though.

He said: ‘Personally I think it wasn’t the fault of the team that we played very bad, we had a game plan and I thought we stuck to it.

‘Maybe we could have played a bit more in the second half but we dealt with everything they threw at us – unfortunately that goal killed us off and got the draw.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘I didn’t think we were very deep, they played to their strengths and got that goal.

‘We tried to grind it out and still got a few chances.

‘Although they were chucking everything at us they still didn’t get any shots off.

‘So we were dealing with everything and I thought were comfortable, all working together.

‘We probably could have scored as well while they had two shots – that is all they had.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘The first goal I thought, as a back-four unit, maybe we could have done a little bit better.

‘The second goal we were under the cosh, free-kicks coming in and there was a chance they were going to get in at some point.

‘Unfortunately they did get in.

‘We couldn’t hold them off.

‘It was back to the walls, we were working, trying to see the game out and they managed to get in.

‘That is what they played for.’

The match also saw Shaun Cooper make his third debut for Pompey after signing on Thursday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He came on as part of a triple substitution after 78 minutes designed to keep possession.

And Devera was full of praise for the new recruit.

He added: ‘Shaun Cooper was good when he came on. I thought he was very good in fact and gave us a lift.’