Kenny Jackett pinpoints why Portsmouth suffered first away defeat of season at Gillingham

Gillingham completed a league double over the table-toppers with a 2-0 Boxing Day success.

Steve Lovell's side struck at the end of each half, Josh Parker's breakthrough coming completely against the run of play.

The Blues had plenty of opportunity to net, dominating for large parts as the Gills defended deep with impressive effectiveness.

Yet they were made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal, with substitute Brett Pitman also culpable.

After four months and 16 days, Jackett's men have finally tasted away defeat in the 2018-19 campaign.

And Pompey's manager was not happy with his team's cutting edge.

He said: 'I thought we were on top and didn't show a killer instinct.

'That seemed to be a problem all game, we couldn't either find the chance or find the killer instinct.

'˜I felt it was pattern to both Gillingham games where they have sat deep and defended their box very well.

'˜We couldn't take the chances we had or too many times it was a blue shirt that blocked and got the first header, the first contact.

'˜As much we were on top and putting balls into their box in good creative situations, particularly with Brown down the left-hand side, we weren't first, we didn't put the chances away.

'˜Even in the first 15 minutes we didn't look ruthless enough, we looked a little bit casual with our play, waiting for the ball to bounce sometimes.

'˜For all of our dominance in midfield where we can turn the ball over and keep the pressure on them, when the ball went into the box from wide areas, we couldn't make it decisive enough to get a goal.

'˜Gillingham got a very, very good goal on the break, Parker's header was an excellent one and one we couldn't replicate at the other end when we needed to.

'˜We changed personnel, but it didn't really change the flow of the game necessarily, and the result was very disappointing.'

A third league defeat of the campaign sees Pompey's lead cut to a point.

Luton's win at Scunthorpe and Sunderland's home triumph over Bradford completes the current top three.

Now the Blues head to Fleetwood on Saturday.

Jackett added: '˜We felt there was something there for us and, starting the game, looked at playing with a good tempo and in control.

'Results are what's key and in terms of how we played and our build-ip, there were a lot of good things and I understand that.

'˜Ultimately, though, the game's about results. For all of our play and all the times we got the ball into their box, Gillingham defended their goal very well - fair play, in both games.'