Oxford United 1 Portsmouth 1: Neil Allen's verdict - Terrible season cannot end quickly enough as uninspiring finale hits new low

Liam Manning’s relegation-threatened side hadn’t won for 15 matches, while collecting just eight points following John Mousinho’s exit for Fratton Park.

Nonetheless, they can count themselves unfortunate not to have ended that dreadful statistic against a lacklustre Blues side who once more struggled for creativity.

Certainly they were the better team throughout the 1-1 draw, with Matt Macey by far the busier keeper, although he was largely helped by some awful finishing from golden positions.

Pompey had actually taken the lead against the run of play, through Marlon Pack’s 26th-minute free-kick, before Sam Long headed home a corner in the same half.

Ultimately, however, the Blues were grateful for the point, even if it finally puts to bed those lingering unrealistic hopes of League One play-off qualification.

The season is ending with a whimper after five draws in six games at a time when they had re-established themselves as genuine candidates having been resurrected by Mousinho.

Now with three games remaining, it's a case of treading water, with the outcome already known as they head towards a seventh season at this level.

The reminder was delivered in the 90th minute, with a noisy rendition of ‘League One until I die’ from a travelling faithful rapidly becoming disillusioned.

Few of those fighting for their Pompey futures have emerged with any credit in recent weeks as Mousinho decides which of the 13 out-of-contract players he will retain.

But, considering the manner of this uninspiring run-in, epitomised by clinging on for a point at Oxford, a clear-out is well overdue.

Mousinho had ripped up his attack in the search for creativity at struggling Oxford, with Paddy Lane and Michael Jacobs recalled to operate on the wings.

In addition, Joe Pigott was replaced by Tom Lowery, having missed the draw at Shrewsbury with a knock to the knee.

Out went Reeco Hackett and Owen Dale, who joined Pigott on the bench, along with Clark Robertson.

The club captain made way for Di’Shon Bernard in the centre of defence, handing over the armband to Pack.

That represented four changes to the team which performed so poorly on Saturday, particularly in attacking positions.

Once again there was no place in the 18-man squad for Denver Hume and Jay Mingi, while Joe Morrell continues his suspension, and Ryley Towler dropped out after being an unused substitute at Shrewsbury.

There were a few nervy moments for the Blues in the game’s opening exchanges, firstly when Pack’s error had to be mopped up by Sean Raggett, covering to get in a block.

And then a back pass to Matt Macey was misjudged by the keeper, who allowed it to run under his foot towards goal before hacking it clear as it threatened to run over the byline.

At the other end, on 10 minutes Colby Bishop caused all sorts of problems inside the Oxford box, with the ball eventually falling for Ryan Tunnicliffe.

He managed to dig out a decent right-footed shot, but it was comfortably saved low down by Simon Eastwood.

The hosts themselves immediately threatened when Bernard came across to block Gatlin O’Donkor’s shot after the attacker was left unmarked and allowed to turn inside the penalty area.

From the resulting corner, Kyle Joseph’s flying near-post header flew narrowly past the post, but again it was poor defensively from the visitors.

Oxford were offering more of a threat and when Marcus McGuane capitalised on poor play between Connor Ogilvie and Tunncliffe in the opposition half, he raced away down the right.

The resulting cross picked out O’Donkor, who wastefully put his shot wide when in a position to do so much better.

The deadlock was broken on 26 minutes, yet it was Pompey who delivered the goal.

Ogilvie won a free-kick down the left-hand side just outside the penalty area and Pack stepped up to deliver a right-footed shot from 22-yards which comprehensively beat Eastwood.

It was a stunning strike and the skipper ran towards the travelling faithful to celebrate a 1-0 lead.

The U’s immediately responded through Cameron Brannagan’s free-kick from the left, which was clawed out by Macey, although nobody was following up close enough to tap into an empty net.

They did level, however, on 37 minutes when a corner from the right was met with a header from the unmarked Long which looped into the top corner of the net.

With half-time approaching, Raggett became the Blues’ fourth booking of the game so far, tangling with Joseph after the defender had headed the ball behind.

It looked harsh, as was the tally, in a game without a bad challenge by that stage, yet referee Declan Bourne had now set a precedent with yellow cards.

It was Oxford’s half, despite the 1-1 scoreline, and the Blues were required to substantially up their game for the second period.

On 56 minutes, Lane’s corner from the right was met with a Bishop header which pinged around inside the six-yard box before frantically hacked away by Oxford.

The second half was proving more evenly-matched, yet the game was suffering as a result, with little to become enthused about for supporters of either team.

However, Macey was drawn into a good stop by his near post after a short corner was played towards Tyler Goodrham and he found space inside the box to drive in a shot.

Pompey made their first change on 62 minutes when Lane was replaced by Dale on the right wing.

The hosts were still creating the better chances, though, and Long’s cross from the right was narrowly headed wide by O’Donkor, then Marcus Browne skied a shot after bursting into the box.

In the 70th minute, Mousinho introduced Hackett and Thompson for Jacobs and Tunnicliffe in a bid to change the direction of a match beginning to get away from them, despite it being 1-1.

Yet it was the Blues clinging on for a point during five minutes of stoppage time as the game ended 1-1.