Northampton 4 Portsmouth 1: Neil Allen's verdict - Disgusting first half from gutless Blues heaps pressure on Kenny Jackett

Pompey boasted the best defensive record in League One and had racked up six successive clean sheets to put themselves within reach of an admirable post-war club record.

As for their league position, third place offered considerably more optimism than first reflection. After all, one point off top with a game in hand should be heartening to anyone.

That was 10 matches ago. Subsequently Kenny Jackett’s men have collected 11 points from a possible 30.

As for League’s One’s most miserly rearguard, they have now shipped in four goals to a Northampton side languishing 22nd in the table pre-match.

Incidentally, seven sides currently possess a better defensive record than the Blues

The facts don’t lie, your eyes don’t deceive you. Undeniably, Pompey are unravelling at breakneck speed, plummeting down the league with the rip cord not attached.

The season didn’t blackout at the Sixfields Stadium, it has been a slow strangulation, increasingly gasping for air with each pathetically insipid performance.

This is the slow, lingering death of Pompey automatic promotion hopes that we’ve been forced to witness. Yet on Saturday, the pain was at its most agonising.

This side supposedly equipped to reach the Championship, this group of players purportedly blessed with marvellous team spirit, turned in the most disgusting first half of football in recent memory.

Worst of all, such a gutless showing arrived against a struggling team which, the previous Tuesday night, had collected a first win in 13 matches.

For too long we have been brainwashed into believing these players are top-end League One quality. Oh how rivals must be envious of this wonderfully talented squad.

Look at what they’ve achieved elsewhere, they must be good. Look at what we’ve paid for them, they have to be brilliant. Look with your eyes – they’re not at all.

These are play-off contenders, nothing more grandiose than that. Don’t believe the hype, the only promotion this lot excel in is self-promotion.

Granted, there is ability within those dressing room walls, these are an honest bunch of lads, a squad largely devoid of ego and possessing a genuine desire to reach the Championship.

Nobody is being conned, there is no underhanded collaboration to remain in League One. As for accusations that some are supposedly sulking about their contract situation, well plenty of their team-mates whose deals aren’t expiring are performing just as leaden.

Jackett can rightly be accused of not dragging the best out of a squad he has assembled over four seasons, yet at what point do the players themselves shoulder responsibility?

Still, as the figurehead of the now familiar seasonal capitulation, Pompey’s boss once again faces calls to be dismissed from a fanbase united in their disillusionment.

Jackett has few friends on the south coast at present. A workaholic and highly-professional operator, there can be no doubting his commitment to the Blues’ cause, even rushing himself back to duty following those health issues.

However, football is shallow, this is his job, and the 59-year-old is judged entirely on his attempts to inspire a team he has constructed.

Well, Pompey are 10 points adrift of second-placed Peterborough, having played the same amount of games. Not good enough – from everyone associated with Portsmouth Football Club.

While other clubs are ominously gathering momentum, the Blues have taken eight points from eight fixtures over the last month. Alarming.

Hopefully Northampton represents the season bottoming out. The truth is, few of us actually believe that – there is still the capacity to drop out of the play-off places completely.

But let’s not write off the future because of the gloomy present, some faith is still required, that’s why we all follow football. It’s the hope, you see.

There are 14 remaining matches to secure a play-off position, with Pompey presently sixth, two points ahead of Accrington Stanley. They remain on track to reach the semi-finals for a third straight season.

Yet there lurks a Bristol Rovers within them, or a Blackpool, or a Gillingham, or a Doncaster, or a Northampton.

Yes Northampton, overseen by caretaker boss Jon Brady during their struggle to consolidate after emerging through the League Two play-offs last term.

From the end of January then went six matches without scoring – only to net four times in the opening 43 minutes against Pompey.

The spineless show began on 20 minutes when Andy Cannon’s lunge on Mickel Miller brought a foul around 25-yards from goal, with Ryan Watson crashing home the free-kick right footed.

Just two minutes later, Miller’s corner from the right found Watson at the far post, who lost marker John Marquis to head it past Craig MacGillivray from three yards.

Incredibly, it was 3-0 after 32 minutes, when Fraser Horsfall this time got on the end of a Miller corner, rising comfortably above Rasmus Nicolaisen after MacGillivray failed to reach the lofted delivery.

Then, on 43 minutes, MacGillivray rushed outside his box to head clear a hopeful punt forward, yet it remained in play and was latched onto by Sam Hoskins.

Aided by Nicolaisen’s reluctance to chase him to the ball, the midfielder cleverly delivered a right-footed lob from outside the box over the backtracking MacGillivray, with Ryan Edmondson bundling it over the line for good measure.

The clock showed 43 minutes – and the match was effectively over.

Curiously, Jackett didn’t elect to make any substitutions at the interval, although did bring four on in one go in the 59th minutes, among the James Bolton, marking his return from an ankle ligament injury.

On 73 minutes, Lee Brown pulled the ball back to substitute Harvey White, who was tripped as he swivelled in the box.

It was left to substitute Ellis Harrison, on in place of John Marquis, to finish from the spot right footed, although keeper Jonathan Mitchell did get a sizeable left hand on it.

The scoreline ended 4-1, condemning Pompey to slip down another place in the League One table as Doncaster, their midweek conquerors, leapfrogged above them.

Others are also coming up strongly, leaving the Blues to look nervously over their shoulder while they frustratingly continue to tread water.

A far cry from six weeks ago. That’s all, 44 days.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

On Saturday, March 13 Pompey will finally get their day at Wembley.

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