Ryan Williams: Anger and frustration - Portsmouth play-off fate shouldn’t have been left to final day

A 1-0 defeat against Accrington on Sunday condemned the Blues to eighth spot – and League One football for yet another season.

Danny Cowley’s men required victory to be assured of a play-off semi-final place, yet choked during the final 90 minutes of the league campaign.

For Williams, there’s anger that Pompey didn’t secure their presence before the last fixture.

He believes the Blues had ample opportunity to have joined Blackpool, Lincoln and Sunderland long before the 46th match of a long season.

Ultimately, a bad performance ensured Oxford United instead claimed the invite.

William told The News: ‘We shouldn’t have even left it down to the last game.

‘It shouldn’t have come to that fixture considering the positions we’ve been in and the chances we have created in other matches.

‘We couldn’t find our stride against Accrington, the two up front for them caused us carnage and we didn’t keep the ball well enough in our final third.

‘It was a bad day at the office – and the wrong day to have a bad day at the office.

‘We are angry and frustrated, especially when you look back at the season and being top at Christmas time.

‘We missed out and, although it was only by a couple of points, we had given ourselves a mountain to climb.

‘If we won we were in the play-offs, there was everything to play for, surely it’s a good scenario. But it’s a scenario you would rather not be in.

‘We didn’t really show up at all, it’s disappointing. It’s another season we have missed out on getting to the Championship – and we shouldn’t have left it until the last day.’

Pompey had been top of League One at Christmas, positioned fourth at the end of February and sixth heading into the last match.

Then defeat, coupled with wins for Oxford and Charlton, pushed them down to a final position of eighth.

Williams added: ‘It was a tough start to the season, we did really well up until Christmas, then there was another rocky spell, then okay again, and then another rocky spell.

‘You need consistency and that’s something we have been missing this season.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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