Haunstrup: Pompey didn't do enough in Charlton loss

The Blues’ encounter against the Addicks was a must-win game if they were to keep their League One play-off aspirations alive.

Yet Lee Bowyer’s troops were better in every department and clinched a deserved 1-0 victory.

Nicky Ajose grabbed the only goal of the game on 40 minutes.

It was an inevitable opener for the visitors after they outplayed Pompey in the first half.

The Blues did improve after the second half, although their best chances came from set-pieces and they lacked creativity from open play.

It leaves Jackett’s side all but mathematically out of the top-six race.

Haunstrup admitted the Pompey dressing room was deflated after the final whistle after knowing they’d effectively been consigned to another season in League One.

The left-back said: ‘The dressing room was very deflated and that’s the first time in a while.

‘Not much was said and the lads have come in knowing we didn’t do enough on Saturday.

‘We didn’t do enough in possession and out of possession.

‘Charlton did and that’s just the way it went.

‘We have got to pick ourselves up and finish the season as strong as possible. All the boys didn’t give up – we kept going until the end.

‘We had a few chances, especially from set-pieces. Evo (Gareth Evans) put a few great balls in but from open play I’m not sure if we did enough from that perspective.

‘Charlton were clever with what they did.

‘They let that first initial pass come back and then they were onto us.

‘We kept the ball but just couldn’t get it going forward and get in their half.

‘Anything that was going forward we couldn’t get it to stick.

‘They defended well, to be fair, to come here and do that.’

Pompey remain eighth in League One with two matches remaining.

They trail sixth-placed Scunthorpe by four points and have played a game more.

Meanwhile, Charlton are five points ahead of the Blues, while tJackett’s side have a point fewer than Plymouth, despite playing two games more.

Haunstrup felt things didn’t click for Pompey against Charlton.

He added: ‘I just think things didn’t click.

‘We’re not a team that lacks confidence team – we have a lot of confidence in our ability and what we can do as a squad.

‘For some reason, it just didn’t click. We couldn’t get the ball forward – that was the main thing.

‘We couldn’t get it into the box or do anything really.

‘We maybe lacked a bit of cutting edge but the main thing was the building block beforehand.

‘We missed the clever bit of play we’ve done before, one-twos and everything just didn’t seem to happen. It was one of those days as the saying goes.

‘We just couldn’t get the ball down in the right areas to benefit from where we are in the league and trying to push on to get a play-off place.’