What Southend manager Sol Campbell had to say on his losing return to Portsmouth

The Blues eventually romped to victory, but it was not all plain sailing as they recorded a fifth League One win of the season on Tuesday.

John Marquis’ effort late in the first half and Ellis Harrison’s goal on 50 minutes appeared to put Kenny Jackett’s men on the way to success.

However, Brandon Goodship gave the Shrimpers hope as they pulled it back to 2-1 on 69 minutes.

But the Blues were not to be denied three points, with Harrison grabbing a second from the penalty spot and substitute Marcus Harness striking – both of which came in the final 10 minutes – as Pompey eased to a triumph in the end.

Yet Campbell was remaining upbeat despite being on the end of a heavy defeat on his Fratton Park return.

The former England international was unhappy his team ‘gave three goals away’, though.

And he is relieved a run of successive games against Ipswich, Sunderland and Pompey – all teams widely tipped for promotion at the start of the season – has now come to an end.

Campbell told the Southend Echo: ‘It will come together but the clock is ticking and we have to start picking up points. We have to keep going.

‘It’s a 4-1 but it doesn’t feel like a 4-1 because we basically gave them three goals.

‘We kept them bay and did really in the first half until the last 30 seconds when we haven’t gone with the runner from a simple ball in.

‘We’ve given the goals away. It’s down to basic errors we have to iron out and it’s not as though they’ve carved us open.

‘We will get there and we certainly won’t come across Ipswich, Sunderland and Portsmouth again in the space of 10 days.

‘It’s hard and we’ve had a tough three games – Ipswich, Sunderland and Portsmouth.

‘They have Premier League pedigree and their budgets are probably quadruple ours.

‘We aren’t expected to win these games and it’s the other games we have to pick up points from.’