Portsmouth captain reveals impact of gut-wrenching Coventry City defeat on dressing room

The Blues captain confessed the 94th-minute loss to the play-off chasers at the CBS Arena last night, represented the most gut-wrenching blow of his side’s Championship campaign.

John Mousinho’s men served up a threatening first-half display against Frank Lampard’s side, which developed into a heroic rearguard action in the second half.

Bodies were thrown on the line as Coventry were repelled by resilient defending, before Pompey were punctured by Jamie Paterson’s classy 94th-minute winner.

It was rough justice on Mousinho’s side, in a campaign which has seen poor results on the road.

But Poole felt Pompey’s display warranted more on this occasion - which made the manner of defeat harder to accept.

He said: ‘That was the toughest one to take.

‘I felt we deserved something from the game, there was bodies on the line and we gave it everything.

‘It was one lapse which was costly to give one clear chance, apart from the first-half header.

‘They dominated the ball, but it was so close to being a really good away performance - like it’s been so often this season.

‘It’s a tough one, because so many people on the pitch deserved the result with their performances.

‘A point would have been some performance because they are a really good side.’

The Coventry loss represents the third away game on the bounce Pompey have been punished late on, as a miserable season on the road continues.

Preston grabbed their winner in the 83rd minute, with Millwall hitting the game’s decisive goal three minutes from time on Saturday.

Paterson’s finish 20 seconds before the end of the fourth minute of stoppage time was the latest blow yet, however, with this the 16th defeat from 22 on the road this season.

The gap remains three points to the bottom three going into a critical clash with Derby at Fratton Park on Saturday.

Poole added: ‘A few months ago we would’ve snapped your hand off to be in this position, because we were going away from home and conceding goals.

‘It’s frustrating because we’re conceding late at the moment - you look at Preston and Millwall it’s the same.

‘But we’re in games and this is something to build on - we’re a lot better side than we were a few months ago.

‘We just need to turn performances into results, because it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t pick up points.’