Portsmouth 0 Morecambe 0: Neil Allen's verdict - Blues' disappointing Easter wrapped up with another blow to fading play-off ambition

A frustrating goalless draw against Morecambe may have been greeted enthusiastically by Derek Adams’ side battling for their League One lives.

Yet for the Blues, it signalled more points dropped from an Easter weekend which reaped just two draws.

Approaching the period, MK Dons and the Shrimps represented encouraging opposition in the search for late-season points to strengthen play-off interest.

As it is, they’ve dropped further behind the top six following a hugely unsatisfying two-point haul against two struggling outfits.

Whereas Joe Morrell’s sending off influenced the Good Friday 1-1 draw, having led at the time, there can be no excuses for a lacklustre Easter Monday showing.

Tom Lowery had two golden first-half chances in identical positions with just the keeper to beat, failing to hit the target on both occasions.

Yet in the second period they were even worse, except for Owen Dale’s header from a corner stopped on the line by Cole Stockton, and Connor Ripley’s last-gasp stop from Reeco Hackett.

Indeed, despite throwing on Hackett and Joe Pigott with plenty of time remaining, the inspiration could not be dredged up in front of the 17,739 crowd, with many greeting the final whistle with boos.

And a third draw in four matches positions leave John Mousinho’s men five points adrift of the play-offs with five matches remaining as the campaign threatens to peter out.

Pompey were without their MK Dons goalscorer Connor Ogilvie, opening the door for Denver Hume’s first start under Mousinho.

The left-back had totalled just 12 minutes since the head coach’s January appointment, yet was handed the chance to impress against the League One strugglers.

Ogilvie was absent with a dead leg, representing one of four changes from the side which drew 1-1 at MK Dons on Good Friday.

Joe Morrell (suspended) and Michael Jacobs (tight calf) were also missing, while Di’Shon Bernard dropped to the bench despite impressing on a rare outing.

Instead Clark Robertson was recalled and skippered the side, with Ryan Tunnicliffe and Dane Scarlett also restored to the team.

Elsewhere, Hayling Island’s Harry Jewitt-White was called onto the bench, having made his league debut at Peterborough in January, but again there was no Jay Mingi.

Meanwhile, Morrell’s absence confirmed there had been no appeal against his MK Don sending out, thereby ruling him out of four matches following a second dismissal of the season.

With Pompey attacking the Fratton End in the first half, in the opening minute Robertson’s ball over the top was significantly held up by the wind, allowing Tunnicliffe to catch it.

The midfielder managed to pull back a first-time pass from the byline, yet it wasn’t a good connection and keeper Connor Ripley intercepted it inside the six-yard box.

Then Hume cut in from the left, only for the subsequent pass to let him down, yet it was half-cleared to Marlon Pack, whose first-time drive from outside the box flew well over.

On 14 minutes, a tremendous ball in from the right from Owen Dale was agonisingly just out of reach for Colby Bishop inside the six-yard box.

Pompey were dictating matters and a patient build-up saw Tunnicliffe cleverly dummy Joe Rafferty’s right-wing cross to enable Dale to fire in a shot.

Struck from outside the area, it was comfortably gathered by Ripley low down, yet the quality of the move was marked with applause from the Fratton faithful.

On 27 minutes, Dale put Scarlett clean through down the middle and he went around Ripley, declining to go down for a penalty after a slight clip.

After regaining his composure, the Spurs loanee pulled the ball back, but unfortunately nowhere near a team-mate, and the visitors were able to clear their lines.

Moments later, Lowery popped up inside the box and drove a right-footed shot narrowly past the far post for another close miss.

Then, on 32 minutes, a wonderful lay-off from Bishop put Lowery clear in the penalty area again - and once more he shot wide of the far post when he should have at least hit the target.

When half-time arrived, the match was still goalless, yet there had been enough encouraging moments in terms of build-up to suggest the Pompey breakthrough was coming.

There were no substitutions at the break for either team, unsurprisingly considering how in the balance the game was, yet the onus was on the hosts to win it.

On 56 minutes, Lowery gave the ball away in midfield and Jensen Weir fired in a well-struck shot straight into the arms of a grateful Macey.

Mousinho made his first substitution on 61 minutes, with Scarlett replaced by Reeco Hackett, who moved to the right, with Dale switched to the left.

One of Hackett’s early involvements was latching onto a Bishop header down and firing in a left-footed shot on goal, but it lacked pace and was easily dealt with.

Pompey made their second change on 66 minutes, with Tunnicliffe replaced by Joe Pigott in a bid to inject more attacking power in pursuit of victory,

In the 74th minute, a right-wing corner from Hackett was met with a Dale header, which was cleared off the line at the near post by Cole Stockton.

The game was crying out for some inspiration and Hackett tried his best with a run which saw him cut the ball onto his right foot and drive a low shot wide of the target.

Then the substitute curled a left-footed attempt over the bar, while Pigott headed another opportunity just past the far post.

At the death, Hume dug out a cross from the left and Hackett’s header was brilliantly turned past the post by Ripley, flinging himself to the floor for a superb stop.

There was to be no dramatic boost for Pompey’s play-off ambition, as another draw has dropped them even further behind the realistic contenders.