Kenny Jackett rues generous Portsmouth defending in key clash with Peterborough

The Blues shared a 2-2 Fratton Park draw on Saturday against their third-placed visitors.

However, the scoreline was underpinned by two wretched defensive errors which allowed the Posh to register in each half.

Firstly, Oli Hawkins miscued a right-footed clearance to allow the unmarked Ivan Toney to net in the 10th minute.

Then, 18 minutes from time, Mo Eisa was presented with a free header to meet Dan Butler’s left-wing cross and level the match.

Costly errors by the Blues, who had been on track for a seventh-successive win – and Jackett was left to rue his team’s generosity.

Pompey’s boss said: ‘The first goal is obviously a mistake by Oli, he’s had a swipe at it and then Toney got onto it and put it away. It’s a poor mistake.

‘The second one is a free header in front of goal and we are disappointed with that.

‘We understand the quality of the opposition and the goals they have been scoring, we recognise that and our job is to keep them quiet, whoever that happens to be.

‘For the majority of the match we had the upper hand and took the game to the opposition, but I have some mixed emotions and some frustration because I did think it was a winnable performance.

‘Oli has to keep working, I do feel that after that early mistake he played his way into the game and had a good effect on it.

‘The crowd encouraged him and, in terms of first headers at both ends, he’s a good player that way. but key moments affect games, we understand that.

‘His mistake wasn’t positional, he just had a swing at it and skied it really, that wasn’t down to (defensive) experience or anything like that.

‘He will obviously be disappointed but, fair play to Oli, he kept going after that and affected the game in terms of offensively and defensively.

‘The second goal was poor marking, we needed to get closer on that side. Butler put it in with his left foot and he got too much space.’

The result leaves Pompey 10th, three points adrift of the play-off spots with a game in hand.

And Jackett was also disappointed his side didn’t put the game beyond all reasonable doubt.

He added: ‘We had big chances to get the third, we couldn’t put that away.

‘In quite a number of games this year we’ve been in a good position and not been able to push through – and that is a big thing for us.

‘Keep it at zeros and ones to win games on a regular basis, but then take those big chances.’