Gaffer: Joe Morrell’s red a game changer for Portsmouth but Blues' second-half attacking display was unacceptable

What were your thoughts on Pompey’s display?

I think we played okay in the first half. I actually thought it was one of our better first half performances under John Mousinho since he’s come in.

I remember saying at half-time that we’d played really well and we completely dominated and it could’ve been 2-0 at the half-time whistle.

Obviously the major moment was the red card but second half we never really came out and I don’t know what the thinking was. I think they got it wrong in terms of tactics.

I didn’t like they way we thought we could set up. Sitting on a 1-0 lead at a place like Stadium MK is really naive of us because that was never going to happen.

We were not going to see out a 1-0 lead at their place for 45 minutes, we were always going to concede if we were going to sit in and invite pressure. And that is exactly what happened.

I’m disappointed we only really started to play any football when we conceded and realised we needed to get ourselves back into the game. Even then I think we played our best football when Joe Pigott was on the pitch.

You can blame poor officiating all afternoon if you want to and I was really concerned with how many went against us but not to create anything until the 90th minute is unacceptable.

What was your take on Joe Morrell’s red card

I didn’t see it and in real time we were kind of relying on what other people around us had seen. Watching it back, you can clearly see Morrell is in a headlock when he goes to challenge for the ball.

We know Morrell’s a fiery character anyway and I just think he’s been a bit naughty and thought no one would see what he’s doing.

I think we should appeal it because the camera angle doesn’t completely catch him red handed. I don’t think there’s anything conclusive there to see why he’s been sent off.

My sole concern is the referee hasn’t seen it and is relying solely on what the assistant is telling him and when he says Morrell has gone in with his knee and kneed him in the back, the referee already has that idea planted in his mind and is going to send him off.

I would’ve preferred it if the referee had seen it, blown up and sent him off straight away.

I think he’s a silly boy and only time will tell whether that will cost us the play-offs.

Do you think the play-offs are still achievable?

We’re going to have to have an almost perfect run if we do it now. It’ll need to be five or six wins, which I don’t think is beyond us because we came out of the blocks at the start of the season and won six and drawn two.

Form under Mousinho has been really good picking up nine wins from 17 games. If we continue like that in the same vein, then I almost think three points is a no-brainer on Monday and have to go all in.

We go to Shrewsbury next week and have a real opportunity there because they’ve had a few poor games. It’ll be good to see a convincing away performance.

It’s then in the gods for Derby and Wycombe. I know we’ve got Oxford and Accrington in there as well.

I think it is still achievable but we need to be perfect if we were to do.

Matt Macey - 7

Joe Rafferty - 7

Sean Raggett - 9

Di’Shon Bernard - 8

Connor Ogilvie - 8

Marlon Pack - 6

Tom Lowery - 6

Joe Morrell - 5

Michael Jacobs - 6

Owen Dale - 6

Colby Bishop - 7