Exeter City 0 Portsmouth 0: Jordan Cross' verdict as concerns mount and lead evaporates

The frustration frothed and bubbled beneath the surface, before eventually boiling over in scattergun anger.

Yards away from the exasperated Pompey faithful, the gleeful Exeter support danced and sang their predictable ditty.

Few who’d seen what had unfolded for sizeable periods of this misfiring effort, could argue with the Grecians’ verdict that this top-of-the-table Pompey were indeed ‘havin’ a laugh’.

Likewise, decent chunks of the other displays which have contributed to a nine-point lead at one point of the Fleetwood draw evaporating into a two-point advantage six days later.

John Mousinho’s men end 2023 at the top of the pile, but questions are mounting over the events of the Christmas period. And what was on offer from Pompey at St James Park only served to add to those posers.

Possession without purpose was prominent. Poor decisions made. Execution continually letting players down.

All the while, the table-topping ghosts of 2018 and 2020 haunt the Pompey faithful who don’t even need particularly long memories to remember those collapses.

Pompey made two changes after a disappointing one-point return over the Christmas period going in.

Paddy Lane and Terry Devlin were the two to come in as Joe Morrell and Abu Kamara dropped to the bench. That allowed Alex Robertson to drop to the deeper midfield role he’s impressed in this season, before a couple of quieter games playing as a number 10.

It was Jack Sparkes who had the first chance after just three minutes. The former Grecians man unleashed a low drive in the box which Vil Sinisalo pushed away, after a flowing Pompey move.

Lane then broke clear but took his shot early and didn’t get the purchase or accuracy on his effort to worry Sinisalo.

Pompey should have had the breakthrough in the 13th minute when Marlon Pack’s arcing cross found Colby Bishop all on his own eight yards out. It was the player all Blues fans wanted free in the box, but the Magic Man got his angles wrong and planted his unchallenged header wide.

Exeter’s response came through Finnish winger Ilmari Niskanen drifting a header not too far wide, despite his diminutive stature.

Bishop’s header once again lacked accuracy from a tougher effort to convert, before the busy Dion Rankine poked Tom Carroll’s cross wide with the game switching from end to end.

Pompey's passing was proving ragged at key moments and lacking tempo. Likewise, the possession count heavily favouring the Blues didn’t reflect a lot of the ball going backwards and sideways.

Frustrations were starting to surface among the away fans by the time Robertson gifted the ball to Reece Cole on the edge of the box. It was a huge let-off on this occasion, however, as youngster Sonny Cole tamely poked an eight-yard finish at Norris.

Then Sparkes atoned for being caught out of position by Rankine with a hat-trick of consecutive stops to repel Gary Caldwell’s side.

Annoyance was evident from the away fans at the break with Pompey disjointed, but the second half exploded to life with Lane almost forcing the ball home seconds after the restart.

Within 45 seconds of the game recommencing Exeter had also hit the post through Niskanen from close range, as the temperature went up at St James Park.

Mousinho reached for a triple change which spoke of a pro-active effort to snare the points.

Abu Kamara almost made the decisive intervention within seconds of entering the fray, but his shot drifted inches wide of the post.

Then Bishop’s cutback saw Lane in space but Sinisalo won their duel. A decent penalty shout went unrewarded as Zak Jules went in on Kamara, but too often the wrong execution arrived from positions of promise.

So against the side it all started with for Mousinho, Pompey end the year uncomfortably looking over their shoulder at rivals picking up impetus.

It’s easily forgotten that such testing moments as these have arrived in the most memorable campaigns, as well as the capitulations. It’s now up to this group to show which camp they belong in.