Stoke 6 Portsmouth 1: Neil Allen's verdict - Shocking Blues given relegation wake-up call after abject display

Granted, the 21-year-old Republic of Ireland international bagged four goals during a sensational performance for Stoke in which everything he struck found the net.

However, it was the Blues’ shocking capitulation shortly before half-time which laid the foundations for their own downfall in an abysmal 6-1 hammering at the hands of supposed relegation rivals.

The scoreline was actually 1-1 after 43 minutes, with Mark O’Mahony having cancelled out Cannon’s early opener and the Blues subsequently enjoying their best spell.

Then Zak Swanson took a throw-in in Stoke’s half - and 11 match-minutes later Pompey had conceded another five goals.

It was an abject implosion from the visitors, who threw in the towel pathetically, epitomised by the sixth scored by Andrew Moran, who charged down the middle unmarked and allowed three touches without a challenge before finishing.

Pitiful Pompey were an absolute shambles, almost to a man, embarrassingly devoid of heart, belief and fight the moment they entered half-time 3-1 down. Most galling of all, they looked every inch a League One side.

Remarkably, those 1,721 travelling fans kept singing until the final whistle, refusing to turn their backs on a team which didn’t deserve their loyal backing.

To think in the build up to the Potteries visit, John Mousinho had not unreasonably claimed the Blues had shown definite signs of improvement in the previous three matches.

However, at the bet365 Stadium they chose to post comfortably the worst display of his 20 months as head coach - and largest defeat.

Will Norris will inevitably have to accept blame for at least three of the goals, albeit Cannon’s penalty incident two minutes into the second half was contentious and deserves disputing.

Yet too many of his team-mates were also dreadful on a night which was supposed to launch a more favourable October in terms of fixtures and the start of the glorious charge up the Championship table.

Instead Pompey fans are now questioning the recruitment policy and summer transfer spending of owners Tornante as their overhauled side undoubtedly face a season-long fight to retain this hard-earned status.

For the visit to Stoke, Mousinho handed Connor Ogilvie an instant recall to Pompey’s team after missing Saturday’s goalless draw with Sheffield United through illness.

Jacob Farrell, who had deputised at left-back, may way and wasn’t included in the 20-man squad, as one of two changes. The other was Harvey Blair making his full debut, coming into the side in place of Sammy Silvera, who dropped to the bench.

Meanwhile, Pompey League Two title-winning hero Enda Stevens lined up at left-back for the Potters, representing the 34-year-old’s first Championship start of the season.

When the match got underway, before even a minute was on the clock the Blues had a huge let off when Ben Wilmot cut in from the right and fired off a blistering left-footed effort which struck the bar.

The ball ricocheted into the path of Stevens, who crashed a shot which was smartly stopped by Will Norris, before being scrambled clear.

The visitors immediately responded by driving to the other end of the pitch through Josh Murphy, and his left-wing cross narrowly eluded the head of Blair inside the box.

Yet it was Stoke who were comfortably more threatening in the opening stages, forcing a succession of corners before breaking the deadlock on 13 minutes.

Marlon Pack fouled Sam Gallagher some 25-yards out and Cannon stepped up to fire home a free-kick which Norris’ right hand couldn’t manage to keep out.

Stoke thought they had made it 2-0 after 23 minutes when Gallagher produced a smart finish past Norris, but it was ruled out for off-side against the striker.

However, Pompey levelled on 29 minutes on the counter-attack following quick thinking from Norris.

The keeper threw the ball out to Murphy, who collected it inside his own half down the left and embarked on a blistering break, before cutting inside Lewis Koumas and Stevens into the box.

He then unselfishly picked a pass out for O’Mahony to run onto and produce a first-time right-footed finish to make it 1-1.

That lifted the Blues, who began to enjoy their best spell of the match, until conceding from their own throw-in inside Stoke territory.

Swanson took the throw, only for the hosts to win the ball back and launch a counter which saw Gallagher feed Cannon who, having got the wrong side of Tom McIntyre, finished first-time left-footed past Norris.

Arriving moments before half-time, it was agonosing for the Blues, particularly the manner of how it came - then suddenly it was 3-1.

During three minutes of time added-on, Norris’ throw out was collected by Moran who fed Gallagher, whose fierce effort from outside the box rocketed past Pompey’s keeper.

There were no substitutions at the break, yet within two minutes of the restart it was 4-1 following a contentious penalty decision.

Murphy let the ball run back to Norris, with Cannon sliding into him. The referee initially awarded a free-kick in Pompey’s favour, only to change his mind and point to the spot.

Cannon completed his hat-trick, with Norris diving the right way, and it appeared game over for the Blues with still plenty of time remaining.

The agony continued on 51 minutes when Bae Junho pulled the ball back to Cannon, who was allowed space by Pack to produce an angled finish to make it 5-1.

Pompey were shell-shocked and on 54 minutes Junho picked out Moran powering through the middle and he took three touches with absolutely no-one near him, before making it 6-1.

The Blues rightly made a triple change on 56 minutes, with Christian Saydee, Abdoulaye Kamara and Silvera replacing Murphy, Pack and Blair.

As the match petered out with thankfully no more Stoke goals, the visiting faithful sang about ‘We’re going to win the league’ and embarking on a ‘League One tour’, their humour still intact.

But once the smiles fade, the reality dawns that Pompey are embroiled in a bitter battle to stay up this season.