Shrewsbury 1 Portsmouth 1: Neil Allen's verdict - Roll on the summer clear-out as mid-table squad show true colours of mediocrity

Indeed, one step too far for this group of players, with the play-offs beyond their collective ability as a team and squad.

They were never good enough, not really. The promotion challenge had been artificially inflated through a period of substantially improved form, but, in recent weeks, it sunk back to true levels.

The equilibrium is mid-table in League One, nothing more, nothing less. Standards which are standard.

Danny Cowley and those over-training accusations have long since departed, with John Mousinho arriving to oversee an instant uplift in results and performances.

Yet largely the same players remain. Erratic, unreliable and glaringly lacking the necessary qualities to drive a consistent promotion bid.

That’s not to say they do not possess footballing ability or aren’t putting in the effort or work-rate, far from it – rather they’re unable to fit the requirements for getting Pompey back into the Championship.

Before Mousinho’s surprise appointment, the Blues had collected one league win in four months. Since then, they've amassed 33 points from 19 matches, including nine victories.

Jettisoning Josh Koroma and Josh Griffiths and welcoming back a couple of players from injury was hardly going to herald miracles with essentially the same playing squad.

Admittedly, expectations were exceeded for a while. The home hammering of Cheltenham, the eye-catching dispatching of Bolton, Barnsley’s all-conquering side snatching an agonising late leveller.

However, after being the life and soul of the party, the players have now sobered up – albeit leaving supporters nursing thumping hangovers.

Pompey’s creativity out wide has been infuriating all season, with Reeco Hackett struggling to convince, Owen Dale having no end product, while Michael Jacobs picks up too many injuries.

Irrespective of the man in charge, that has been a constant running through this wasted campaign. Surely more damning about each individual’s deficiencies rather than the skills of successive head coaches.

Mousinho has been without Ronan Curtis for 14 matches so far following injury, while a recent hamstring problem sidelined January recruit Paddy Lane for three fixtures.

So it has been back to tried-and-tested wing options of Hackett, Dale and Jacobs yet again, hoping this time will be different. It never is, they are what they are.

In fairness, Jacobs made a huge difference to Pompey’s attacking capabilities upon his 65th-minute introduction from the bench, oozing quality and class as usual.

Nonetheless, while he remains Pompey’s most creative player by a landslide, the ex-Wolves man has been available for 31 of their 42 league matches this term, with the majority of his appearances as a substitute.

If only the Jacobs of younger years was wearing the Pompey shirt, but by that stage he was winning League One titles or operating with distinction in the Championship.

The two-goal Dale’s effort and endeavour is outstanding, particularly for a loanee, yet his confidence is shot, form sapped by each fruitless outing, and is currently playing by default.

As for Hackett, his most worthy moments continue to be provided as an impact player from the bench and, with 78 Pompey appearances, we’re still waiting for more.

Yet there are question marks across the pitch, with the rejuvenated Ryan Tunnicliffe another ongoing concern, despite enjoying a rejuvenation in the twilight of his Fratton Park career.

Mousinho has shown faith in the ex-Manchester United man and clearly, to some extent, he has flourished, but on Saturday he appeared disinterested, had no positive contribution, and frequently gave the ball away.

Perhaps it reflected Louis Thompson’s own Fratton Park future that Tunnicliffe saw out the full 90 minutes rather than being replaced by another central midfield option from the bench.

Meanwhile, Denver Hume was omitted completely, despite Mousinho’s upbeat assessment on an encouraging first start under the head coach against Morecambe.

Connor Ogilvie instantly returned to left-back following a dead leg, with his replacement dropped from the 18-man squad and Di’Shon Bernard and Ryley Towler providing defensive cover from the bench.

It’s the most obvious indication yet of how the the former £200,000 capture stands in Mousinho’s first-team plans moving forward, although perhaps not as indisputable as Jay Mingl moving on after this week’s war of words.

Still, Hume was magnificent in Pompey’s last trip to Shrewsbury in February 2022 which produced a 2-1 victory for Cowley’s men. This time around he wasn’t even on the team coach, with Harry Jewitt-White preferred as 19th man.

Of course, for many, the Montgomery Waters Meadow instantly conjures up memories of Cowley’s second game in charge, with a sublime opening 45 minutes which was supposed to set the tone for his Blues era.

Sadly his side never again explored such impressive heights, certainly not consistently, which is probably why that 2-1 win remains lodged in the mind more than two years later.

This time around, the Shrews provided the watershed moment for this group of players, with an abject display which cannot be papered over, irrespective of Marlon Pack earning a late point.

With 82 minutes on the clock, following a left-wing Jacobs corner, Ogilvie’s back-post header across goal was nodded in from close range by Pack for his fourth goal of the season.

It cancelled out Rob Street’s 53rd-minute opener, after glancing home Elliott Bennett’s left-wing delivery following Sean Raggett gifting the hosts possession with an errant pass.

The late drama continued, with Tom Flanagan handed his a second yellow card in three minutes to leave the Shrews with 10 men heading into the final four minutes plus time added-on.

Not that Pompey deserved to win the match, with even a point harsh on a Steve Cotterill injury-hit side frustratingly so comfortable until Pack intervened.

It leaves the Blues six points off the play-offs with four matches remaining, yet, in truth, four draws out of their last five matches is not the reason why they have failed this season.

On Saturday they weren’t good enough, the squad isn’t good enough, the season hasn’t been good enough. Roll on the summer clear-out and essential rebuild.