Gallen pleased with Pompey display behind closed doors

JOE GALLEN admitted there was plenty to be pleased about after Pompey's behind-closed-doors draw with Premier League Brighton.
Pompey goalscorer Brett Pitman Picture: Joe PeplerPompey goalscorer Brett Pitman Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey goalscorer Brett Pitman Picture: Joe Pepler

Skipper Brett Pitman, who earlier hit the post with a header, handed the visitors a 51st-minute lead in a game split into three 25-minute periods with another glancing header .

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Although, substitute Christian Burgess also claimed responsibility for the opener after initially directing the ball goalwards from fellow sub Adam May's corner.

Pompey goalscorer Brett Pitman Picture: Joe PeplerPompey goalscorer Brett Pitman Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey goalscorer Brett Pitman Picture: Joe Pepler

Regardless of the scorer, the home side hit back, though, with Anthony Knockaert cancelling out the Pompey effort from close range on 67 minutes.

And Chris Hughton's side came close to clinching at the end when Tomar Hemed volleyed narrowly wide after the Blues failed to clear their lines.

By that stage, Pompey had made nine changes to their starting XI, while Brighton still possessed plenty of Premier League experience in their ranks.

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In fact, the Seagulls line-up included nine players with regular game time in the top flight last season, while a debut was handed to recent £15m signing Yves Bissouma from Lille.

And with such an array of talent in their ranks, it was little wonder Blues assistant manager Gallen was pleased with what he witnessed from his side in Lancing.

Speaking to the club's website, Gallen said: '˜From our point of view, are we looking solid? Are we conceding too many chances? Are we conceding too many goals? It wasn't the case especially in the first 50 minutes (of yesterday's game).

'So that was number one, and off the back of that can you still be a threat in terms of attacking, creating chances and scoring.goals?

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'Again we broke with pace and Jamal (Lowe) and Brett, in particular, were a threat and you always had the feeling we were going to score.

'We didn't score in the opening 50 minutes but we had some good flowing moves, some good football, some good opportunities and chances, and it did look like we were the team on the ascendancy in terms of the scoreline.

'So pleasing from both aspects.'

POMPEY: MacGillivray (McGee 51); Thompson (Smith 51), Whatmough (Burgess 51), Clarke (Casey 51), Brown (Dennis 51); Lowe (Chaplin 51), Naylor (May 51), Walkes (Rose 51), Haunstrup; Pitman, Curtis (Hawkins 51)