Portsmouth 0-2 MK Dons: Frustrations aired at Fratton as Blues fall to dismal defeat on League One return

The Blues capped their league return with a frustrating 2-0 loss against the struggling Dons, which brought boos from the home fans at the final whistle and chants of ‘embarrassing’ during the game.

Goals either side of half-time from Bradley Johnson and Jack Tucker saw Danny Cowley’s men drop to 10th in the table as they begin to lose touch with the play-off spots.

Their woes were compelled with Josh Koroma being withdrawn late on with an injury, sealing a miserable day at the office for Pompey.

It was the hosts who started the brightest with Hume testing Jamie Cumming with a fierce effort inside the box.

The Chelsea loanee parried the wing-back’s attempt, which caused quite the goal-mouth scramble with the resilient Dons defence managed to keep the ball out of the net.

A minute later, it was Koroma who tried his luck from the edge of the box with a curling effort but the MK keeper produced another fine stop.

As the first-half progressed, it was Cowley’s men who continued to create the better of the opportunities as Hume again found space from 18-yards but his floating attempt was just over the bar.

On the half-hour mark, Clark Robertson’s free-kick from the right was fired onto the bar, in what proved to be the closest Pompey came to opening the deadlock in the first 45.

Yet, four minutes later it was the Dons who got the breakthrough as Johnson met Conor Grant’s cross from close-range.

It registered the first shot on target for Dean Lewington’s side, which has been more than common for Cowley’s outfit in recent weeks.

As boos rang out around Fratton as the half-time whistle blew, the hosts had to find a response and did when Koroma slotted the ball past Cumming in goal.

However, the goal was controversially ruled out with the assistant’s flag being raised despite Mingi’s pass taking a deflection on it’s way through.

Although the Blues were eyeing a leveller, they were caught slacking with Grant finding himself one v one with Griffiths.

The West Brom loanee made himself big and came to the rescue to keep the the scoreline in reach.

It was two when on 64 minutes when former Pompey target Tucker poked home the Dons’ second, which was met by furious chants from the Fratton faithful.

Cowley rolled the subs as Joe Morrell, Joe Pigott and Dane Scarlett replaced Colby Bishop, Jay Mingi and Denver Hume.

The second-half subs were unable to break down the resilient Dons defence as boos rang around PO4 at the full-time whistle.

The Blues drop to 10th following the defeat with the gap to the top six now five points.