Portsmouth pay for missed chances as Sheffield United serve up late heartache

Brooks’ 90th-minute condemned the Blues to a 1-0 reverse and meant they paid the price for not making more of a huge number of first-half openings.

Colby Bishop saw his effort disallowed as John Mousinho’s side carved out chance after chance, but somehow didn’t hit the back of the net.

It was more even after the break, but then came Brooks’ late sucker punch, as sub Luke Le Roux criminally lost his man in the box.

The result means Pompey remain a point outside of the bottom three but drop a place in the table to 21st.

Pompey were by far the dominant force in the first half - carving out a long line of chances.

Ebou Adams headed over in the 15th minute before two great Pompey chances followed.

It was Japhet Tanganga who cleared both efforts of the line from John Swift, following a scramble, and then doing the same to deny Adrian Segecic’s drive.

The ball was in the net in the 23rd minute as Colby Bishop fired home, but ref James Linnington made a big call as he adjudged Ebou Adams’ collision with Femi Seriki was a foul by the Pompey man.

Adrian Segecic’s drive was then straight at Michael Cooper before Terry Devlin thrashed a presentable opening over from the angle of the six-yard box.

Sheffield United’s Tom Cannon was then fortunate to get away with throwing an arm in Zak Swanson’s direction, after a tussle between the pair.

The Pompey charge continued with Bishop heading a corner just wide, before the striker guided Segecic’s goalbound effort wide in the last action of the half.

The fear was the Blues would be punished for not making more of their 13 first-half shots on goal, after the restart.

But it was Pompey who continued to push with Swift guiding an 18-yard effort inches wide from a Blues corner.

A lapse from Devlin then almost gifted the visitors a goal, as he played the ball as it drifted out of play allowing Bamford to put the ball in - but Callum O’Hare couldn’t tap in.

Andre Dozzell then went down holding his knee after miscuing under pressure from Bamford, but managed to continue.

The visitors were applying their first meaningful pressure of the game, as Bamford headed a presentable opening at Schmid. That led to Marlon Pack and Jordan Williams being introduced in an effort to regain control of the game, in place of Swift and Swanson.

Alli’s cross then fizzed across the face of goal, with Bishop not able to apply the final touch. The next opening also came via a corner with Jacob Brown not adjusting his body better and Cooper claiming as the ball cannoned off the sub.

Pompey were then dealt a late, late blow as Le Roux lost Brooks in the box - and he tapped in Tyrese Campbell’s cross.

And there was no way back through seven minutes of stoppage time on a painful afternoon for the Blues.