Hawkins: Portsmouth should have been out of sight in first half

Oli Hawkins toasted table-topping Pompey's return to winning ways in League One.
Oli Hawkins was back in Pompey's side as they returned to winning ways in League One. Picture: Joe PeplerOli Hawkins was back in Pompey's side as they returned to winning ways in League One. Picture: Joe Pepler
Oli Hawkins was back in Pompey's side as they returned to winning ways in League One. Picture: Joe Pepler

But the striker admitted the Blues should have been out of sight at half time against AFC Wimbledon.

An outstanding first half yielded goals from Tom Naylor and Gareth Evans for Kenny Jackett's men.

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However, when substitute James Hanson reduced the deficit on 63 minutes, the visitors were forced to dig deep for victory at Kingsmeadow.

It was a gruelling final third of the game, but Pompey came through to win 2-1, bouncing back from the previous weekend's 2-0 loss against Gillingham.

And Hawkins, recalled to the side in place of Brett Pitman, conceded they should have made their first-half display count further.

He said: 'It was sort of a game of two halves.

'˜In the first half we did really well with it, getting a 2-0 lead, and the second half they put a load of pressure on us and we did really well to hold out and get the three points.

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'I thought we played really well in that first half, we had chance after chance and it's a shame couldn't go in at the interval more than 2-0 up.

'I had a couple of chances, there were a few other chances which maybe we should have done better with, and the scoreline may have been different.

'˜But you are going to take 2-0 up at half-time '“ and we dug at second half.

'˜I think 3-0 would have killed the game off, but Wimbledon did well and got the goal back.

'˜As soon as it goes 2-1 you are worried, the team backs off a little bit and then invite more pressure '“ but we coped well with it.'