Watford 1 Portsmouth 1: Neil Allen's verdict - Heartache and then heartbreak but gutsy Blues refuse to give up

Conor Shaughnessy was the name on every Pompey fans’ lips before kick-off, yet it was Adrian Segecic and Nicolas Schmid vying to dominate conversations afterwards.

The day had begun with escalating chatter centring on a quad injury for the classy Irishman, subsequently confirmed through his absence from the match-day 20 at Watford.

Sadly it signalled yet another devastating blow for Shaughnessy, who had been back for just four matches since recovering from a hamstring problem - and taking the Blues’ injury list to 11 casualties.

Still, with a Vicarage Road fixture to fulfil, focus soon returned to football - and it was Segecic who put Pompey in the box seat for a second consecutive away victory.

Pouncing on Conor Chaplin’s pass, he applied a first-time left-footed finish for the second time in four days to break the deadlock with just 17 minutes remaining.

With six goals in his maiden season in English football, it is developing into quite a year for the energetic 21-year-old with a deadly left-foot.

Yet, unfortunately, it was Schmid who would have the final say in matters against the Hornets, with the most frustrating of mistakes.

Merely six minutes after the lead, the goalkeeper was on his knees and distraught, having spilled a cross from the left, with substitute Mamadou Doumbia capitalising to level.

Such a cruel moment for both the Austrian and John Mousinho’s men after producing a good away performance, driven by the outstanding Ebou Adams on his full debut.

The former Derby man’s work-rate, physicality, tackling and ability to defend the six-yard box from dead-balls was a joy to behold and so glaringly missing from recent central midfield recruits.

And with fellow new-boy Millenic Alli involved in Segecic’s opener, there was plenty to be encouraged about in terms of Pompey’s recent transfer business.

It’s just a shame about Shaughnessy - and that a costly mistake from Schmid - as Mousinho’s men maintained their recent improved form.

In Shaughnessy’s absence, Connor Ogilvie switched from full-back to centre-half to partner Regan Poole, with Zak Swanson reverting to left-back after his surprise midfield cameo at Hillsborough.

Ebou Adams was named in the centre of midfield for his full debut, representing the only change to the side which won 1-0 at Sheffield Wednesday.

Elsewhere, new signing Keshi Anderson wasn’t registered in time to feature, so couldn’t be included in the match-day squad at Vicarage Road.

While Academy attacker Chinedu Agu was named on a bench which also included fellow youngster Tayo Singerr, with injuries continuing to bite deep.

In his first Pompey start, Adams immediately caught the eye with his aggression and robustness, while the travelling faithful swiftly gave him a well-meaning ‘Boo’ every time he touched the ball.

The former Derby man also had the Blues’ first shot on goal on six minutes, with Adrian Segecic pulling the ball back from the right byline and the midfielder meeting it with a fierce first-time shot.

It was accurate too, only for the goal-bound effort to deflect off a Watford defender’s head and go out for a corner.

Moments later, a sloppy pass out of defence by the Hornets presented the ball to Millenic Alli, who crashed a shot from just outside the box, but again it was deflected by a Watford body.

It was a strong start by the visitors, while some of the Hornets faithful were becoming frustrated, booing their under-pressure side whenever they slowed the game down and attempted to play it around at the back.

At the other end, a surging run from Giorgi Chakvetadze took him through the heart of Pompey, before pulling the trigger, only for Ogilvie to throw himself in front of the shot and divert it for a corner.

Then Jeremy Ngakia’s cross from the right was met with a first-time shot from Luca Kjerrumgaard, yet the striker only succeeded in firing it narrowly over the bar.

On 33 minutes, the Blues thought they had a strong case for handball when Ngakia appeared to handle during an aerial challenge with Poole.

An insistent Poole led the appeals, with his team-mates soon joining in, but referee Ben Toner wasn’t interested and the controversy passed.

With half-time approaching, Adams won a slide challenge on the edge of Watford’s box, with the ball eventually arriving to Conor Chaplin, who dragged a left-footed shot wide of the target.

With the scoreline goalless at the break, Mousinho made a change with Jordan Williams replacing Swanson at left-back.

It was a slow start to the second half, with little occurring other than Tom Ince driving a low right-footed shot straight at Nicolas Schmid on 56 minutes.

Then, at the other end, when Ngakia and James Abankwah dawdled while trying to deal with a through ball, Alli was right on top of them, forcing keeper Egil Selvik to hurriedly kick it into touch.

In the 66th minute, a careless pass from Chaplin ended up creating a chance for Kjerrumgaard, but Ogilvie brilliantly got across to produce a flying block and deflect it for a corner.

The deadlock was broken on 73 minutes - and it was that man Segecic once again.

Alli dispossessed Ngakia on Pompey’s left and fed Chaplin, who calmly moved the ball to his right towards the Australian, whose first-time left-footed shot found the bottom corner of the net to make it 1-0.

It was a rapid move from the Blues, initiated by Alli’s persistence, and how the players celebrated in front of the visiting fans situated by the goal.

However, the lead would last just six minutes before Schmid’s mistake handed Watford a 79th-minute leveller.

The keeper came from a cross from the left and got two hands to it, only to then spill the ball under pressure from Kjerrumgaard, with Doumbia able to finish into an empty net to make it 1-1.

Moments later, Jacob Farrell came on for Devlin, with Williams moving over to right-back to accommodate the Australian.

The Blues came under late pressure from the Hornets, but they held on to claim a fourth point on their travels in a week, giving every reason to be encouraged heading into the south-coast derby.