Blackburn 3 Portsmouth 0: Neil Allen's verdict - Brittle Blues capitulate yet again for sixth straight away loss

An excruciating spell of three goals in 15 second-half minutes dictated the latest downfall on their travels as John Mousinho’s men once again capitulated.

Up until substitute Makhtar Gueye’s opener on 61 minutes, the Blues were extremely comfortable, with Blackburn rarely threatening, while the home crowd began to grow a little restless.

Yet once the striker netted with an angled header from the impressive Callum Brittain’s cross, the hosts were on track for a comfortable victory.

Admittedly, there was controversy when, with the scoreline at 1-0, Callum Lang appeared to be caught by goalkeeper Aynsley Pears as he knocked the ball across goal. However, Farai Hallam declined to award a penalty.

To rub salt into the wound, with play continuing, Colby Bishop’s subsequent header was cleared off the line - and Rovers raced up the other end to make it 2-0 through Brittain.

It was left for Weimann to wrap up matters on 76 minutes, when the exposed Nicolas Schmid was unable to keep out his far-post shot and it squirmed over the line to become 3-0.

Rob Atkinson wasn’t present for the third goal, having been replaced by Ryley Towler as Mousinho continues to build up the defender’s match minutes following a lengthy lay-off.

Certainly his display was a positive. The loanee was an absolute colossus in the air and demonstrated his capability of driving forward with the ball.

There was also a debut for Isaac Hayden, although the circumstances of his introduction were worrying as he replaced the injured Paddy Lane at half-time after the winger had to be carried off.

Regardless, it was another defeat on the road for Mousinho’s men, who returned to the Championship relegation zone the previous night due to results elsewhere.

And, once again, they were undone by a flurry of goals, as previously witnessed on occasions away from Fratton Park this season.

Mousinho had made one change to the Pompey team which lined-up against Sunderland in their last Championship fixture.

Rob Atkinson replaced Ryley Towler in the centre of defence to partner Marlon Park, who returned from the one-match ban which kept him out of the FA Cup clash with Wycombe.

The injury absence of Jordan Archer opened the door for Will Norris’ squad return, albeit being named among the substitutes.

The League One title-winner hadn’t been involved on a match-day since being dropped in the aftermath of the 6-1 defeat at Stoke at the start of October.

Hayden was also among the substitutes following his arrival from Newcastle, but there was no place in the squad for Abdoulaye Kamara, who was handed his Blues full debut at Wycombe last Friday.

When the match got underway, Atkinson swiftly demonstrated his defensive worth with a brilliant block on Andi Weimann, throwing himself in front of the shot to prevent its progress.

The Blues had a let off on 13 minutes when Freddie Potts’ vastly underhit backpass was collected by Weimann, whose attempt to lob Nicolas Schmid from outside the box drifted harmlessly over the bar.

Moments later, Tyrhys Dolan’s cross from the right was headed over by Dom Hyam when really the Rovers defender should have done far better.

At the other end, Josh Murphy slung in a ball from the left which was agonisingly out of reach for Colby Bishop after circumnavigating the defence.

Atkinson was comfortably winning everything in the air which ventured his way, although he showed his quality on the ball on 35 minutes when he charged up the pitch and past John Buckley, only for the Blackburn man to foul him.

Certainly it had been an impressive start to the match from the Bristol City loanee, whose positive impact was already noticeable.

Pompey came within a whisker of taking the lead on 41 minutes after Potts’ free-kick from the right was headed back across goal by Pack.

Lane helped it on and there was Bishop at the far post, who connected with a first-time right-footed shot which frustratingly struck the bar and bounced clear.

It was the closest either side had come to scoring in a poor first half and no doubt Bishop will have felt he should have capitalised on that glorious opportunity.

The match remained goalless until half-time, while, worryingly, Lane had to be carried off the pitch by two members of Pompey staff towards the dressing room.

Unsurprisingly, the winger didn’t reappear after the break, with Hayden replacing him for his Blues debut.

The second half started with Callum Brittain forcing his way down the right and firing in a low shot with Schmid blocked with his foot.

On 55 minutes, Murphy’s cross from the left presented Bishop with a great headed chance, but the striker didn’t connect cleanly and appealed in vain for a supposed push from the defender.

Yet it was Blackburn who broke the deadlock on 61 minutes through substitute Gueye.

Brittain delivered a deep cross from the right which was met with an angled free header at the far post by the attacker which flew across Schmid and into the net.

It was a poor goal for the visitors to concede, especially having been so comfortable defensively up until that point - now they needed to step up their own attacking threat.

Mousinho made a double substitution on 66 minutes with Atkinson and Dozzell making way for Towler and Christian Saydee.

Pompey agonisingly came close to levelling in the 71st minute - only to fall further behind.

Pack’s wonderful long pass into the right channel was met by Lang, who appeared to be caught by keeper Aynsley Pears afterwards.

Bishop managed to connect with a header which trickled towards crossing the line before Danny Batth’s last-gasp block to save the day.

Blackburn immediately charged upfield and, to rub salt into the wounds, Brittain spectacularly crashed a right-footed shot past Schmid to make it 2-0.

It was 3-0 just five minutes later when Gueye’s shot was well stopped by Schmid, yet Weimann followed up at the far post.

Pompey’s keeper did his best to keep it out, yet only succeeded in helping it over the line - and Blackburn had three goals in 15 minutes.

Matt Ritchie and Terry Devlin were thrown on for Murphy and Lang late on, but there was never a chance of any comeback as they slipped to a sixth consecutive away loss.