'If you lack a bit of quality in the final action, then you don’t win games': Danny Cowley frustration after Portsmouth draw with Cheltenham

The Blues were held to a 1-1 draw against Cheltenham, despite some golden second-half opportunities.

Reeco Hackett had cancelled out Luke Freestone’s sixth-minute strike to ensure it was all square at the interval.

Yet, despite a more dominant second-half display by Cowley’s men, they couldn’t make their opportunities count.

And the outcome of shared points disappointed the Blues’ head coach.

He told The News: ‘We had 18 shots and only six on target. That probably tells a story, we just lacked the quality in the final action.

‘I just want so much for us and I suppose it’s unfortunate, but it’s just where we find ourselves at the minute.

‘There were some good chances. Ronan had a brilliant cross we just have to get on the end of, Marcus pulls one back to Ronan and he takes it with his right foot, Johnny Marquis had one as well.

‘Good chances, but we couldn’t find that bit of quality that you need sometimes in tight games.

‘We had enough to win it but, if I am honest, if you concede a soft goal and then lack a bit of quality in the final action, then you don’t win games.

‘It doesn’t matter what we deserve, ultimately it matters what the outcome is and we didn’t do enough.’

The draw means Pompey drop to 14th in League One following a fifth point in three matches.

And Cowley admitted he was annoyed over the manner of Cheltenham’s early opening goal which dictated the Blues had to fight their way back to claim a point.

He added: ‘We had such a poor way into the game with the goal we conceded.

‘We know Cheltenham carry a real threat, that’s eight goals they’ve scored from long throw-ins this season. If I’m honest, it’s not even a long throw, it’s not that far.

‘We did well to get back in the match, but the goal knocked us and we didn’t quite get the ball speed we wanted in the first half.

‘In the second half we played with much more intensity, much more energy, and we created enough chances to win the game.’

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