'I can't get my head around it': Portsmouth boss John Mousinho fuming after controversy in Preston North End loss

John Mousinho reflected on Pompey’s penalty controversy and insisted: I can’t get my head around it.

The Blues slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Deepdale, with Alfie Devine’s looping 40th-minute header proving decisive.

Yet the visitors were understandably aggrieved over not being awarded a penalty 10 minutes earlier, when the match was still goalless.

Adrian Segecic found himself clean through and bearing down on goal, only for Jordan Storey’s desperate challenge from behind to send him tumbling.

Referee Adam Herczeg declined to act on the strong penalty shout and instead, much to Mousinho’s frustration, awarded a goal kick.

And the Blues could find no way back as they slipped to only their second defeat in 10 Championship fixtures.

Mousinho told The News: ‘It was a penalty, a stonewall penalty, I don’t know what he’s doing.

‘That’s the most baffling thing, it’s either a corner or a penalty, it’s not a contact from the Preston defender, he’s the wrong side of him.

‘I can't get my head around it to be honest.

‘We are disappointed to not come away here with anything off the back of the performance, particularly in the second half, we restricted Preston to very little.

‘They had a shot at the end when we were open, but, apart from that, I thought it was a really solid performance, we just didn’t put the ball in the back of the net.

‘The pitch was really difficult, we tried to play at the right times and went direct at the right times, but you could see it was exactly as it looked. I thought we played well, the pitch was a factor, but it wasn’t an excuse.

‘We controlled the game. Coming away to Deepdale and in the second half we conceded one shot which was the one at the end.

‘We had chance after chance after chance, pressure on Preston’s goal, but we didn’t put the ball into the back of the net. I thought we controlled the game and played the conditions pretty well - and that was pretty pleasing.’

Deadline-day recruit Jacob Brown started in place of the injured Colby Bishop up front, before being replaced by Makenzie Kirk in the 69th minute.

Pompey also introduced new signing Gustavo Caballero in the 79th minute for Andre Dozzell as they finished the match strongly.

But Preston keeper Dai Cornell was sufficiently tested as the hosts hung on the three points.

Mousinho added: ‘Preston put the ball into the back of the net, but didn’t have a huge amount of chances.

‘The first half was pretty tight and it came from a deep throw-in. We didn’t deal with it well enough and the next thing you know a bit of quality and the ball’s in the back of the net.’