Portsmouth were lucky to beat Altrincham in FA Cup - Marcus Harness

Kenny Jackett’s side were indebted to Brett Pitman’s last-gasp intervention for sparing their embarrassment against National League North side Altrincham.

The substitute’s header four minutes into stoppage-time earned the hosts a 2-1 Fratton Park success on Saturday.

Until that intervention, a Moss Lane replay was beckoning for the League One team with the scores deadlocked at 1-1.

And Harness, making his first Pompey start in seven matches, conceded there was good fortune over their third-round qualification.

He said: ‘They came here and didn’t hold back, they played their game and did well to be fair to them. We were lucky to come away with a win.

‘It was a massive relief, a massive relief, and everyone knows that in there (the dressing room).

‘We are not going to lie to ourselves and say we were great, we know we got away with one and have just got to take the positives and move on.

‘These are games we should be winning. Instead we let them back into the match and faced going to their place for a replay, which would have been a lot tougher than here.

‘At 1-0 we should have done more to be out of their reach but didn’t – and luckily snatched it at the end and it is over with.

‘We are not kidding ourselves that we were great on Saturday, we know we weren’t, but we move on now and must be better in the next game.’