Accrington 4-1 Portsmouth: They said what at the final whistle?

Pompey surrendered their 10-match unbeaten run with a shambolic 4-1 defeat at the hands of Accrington.
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Despite going a goal up through Ronan Curtis’ eighth goal of the season, the Blues conceded four without replay as they suffered their biggest League One defeat of the season.

Here’s what those closest to the action had to say about Saturday’s events…

Kenny Jackett

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‘t was disappointing after getting the first goal in the game.

They’ve got back into it with an OG from Ellis when it’s got stuck in the wind and he’s lost the flight of it.

But from start to finish Accrington deserved to win.

Even in the first 20 minutes they created quite a bit.

Pompey manager Kenny Jackett and Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman shake handsPompey manager Kenny Jackett and Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman shake hands
Pompey manager Kenny Jackett and Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman shake hands

The goals took the wind out of us in a period I felt we were going to get back.

So, yes, this is a big step back.

John Coleman

I’m delighted with the lads, they’ve got their rewards.

We spoke about getting back to passing the ball, you know, mixing the game up a little bit, not taking any undue risks, but trying to get back to the way we can play, which is very much a passing game and a pressing game, and we did.

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We handled the setback of going behind against a good Portsmouth side who have been unbeaten for a good spell, have climbed the table and they’ll be there or there abouts at the end of the season.

So we knew it was going to be a tough game, but we applied ourselves really well and players took on board everything I said to them during the week.

Tom Naylor

We just weren't good enough all over the pitch.

We got that goal to make it 1-0 and had a few chances to make it two, but all over the pitch I don't think we wanted it - and they did.

For his own goal, I was looking at Ellis, I was right behind it and the wind took it straight away, we couldn’t do much, he tried to clear it and it has gone straight into the goal.

The other goals were avoidable, we were not good enough.

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We said at half-time the second goal would be massive and they got it and it went from there.

We were all over the place really, we didn’t have a structure after going down to 2-1.

We just have to learn from it and must upbeat and confident going into the next game after being 10 matches unbeaten.

Neil Allen – News’ chief sports writer

Awful Pompey were humiliated by struggling Accrington - and it could have been more.

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The bulk of the damage was done with three goals in a 14-minute second-half spell, yet the hosts also struck the post twice.

The Blues had taken the lead against the run of play, but eventually Stanley made their dominance pay.

It was truly awful from Kenny Jackett's make-shift side, with four changes to the back four.

The 733 travelling drenched Pompey fans partied on the open terrace in defiance.

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That was the only event which could draw a smile on a dismal afternoon, as their side collapsed in the second-half at Accrington.

With the score 1-1, three second-half goals followed as a team who'd won four league games all season before the game battered Kenny Jackett's men.

With the amount of shots the home side had, including two efforts off the woodwork, the damage could've been worse.

And those hardy Pompey fans who braved a hailstone storm to support their side in the run-up to Christmas deserved so much better.

Jordan Cross – senior Pompey writer

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The 733 travelling drenched Pompey fans partied on the open terrace in defiance.

That was the only event which could draw a smile on a dismal afternoon, as their side collapsed in the second-half at Accrington.

With the score 1-1, three second-half goals followed as a team who'd won four league games all season before the game battered Kenny Jackett's men.

With the amount of shots the home side had, including two efforts off the woodwork, the damage could've been worse.

And those hardy Pompey fans who braved a hailstone storm to support their side in the run-up to Christmas deserved so much better.