Wycombe 2 Portsmouth 0: Neil Allen's verdict - Blues squad issues exposed again in awful FA Cup exit

Dumped out of the FA Cup by a League One side amid -4 degrees centigrade on a Friday night in Buckinghamshire wasn’t pleasurable for anyone of Blues persuasion.

Still, at least temperatures can rise and performances can improve. Sometimes looking on the bright side is all we have.

As at Bristol City, there were a number of fringe players who failed their audition pieces to damningly demonstrate why they have struggled for minutes at times.

And for Hayden, the newcomer from Newcastle, first impressions reflected a first-team pathway encouragingly clear for a career which has frustratingly stalled.

Unveiled on loan from the Premier League a couple of hours before kick-off, he was present to assess a side containing nine changes to the team which started the 1-0 loss at Sunderland on Sunday.

They included rare starts for fellow central midfielders Owen Moxon and Abdoulaye Kamara, while Freddie Potts was handed purely first-half duties.

In truth, it will be Potts and Andre Dozzell who will be his main adversaries for a first-team spot, particularly on the evidence of the 2-0 defeat at Wycombe.

Once the Chairboys opened the scoring from absolutely nowhere on 18 minutes through Brandon Hanlan, they never looked in any danger of being the subject of an FA Cup fightback.

When Sonny Bradley easily headed home a free-kick just nine minutes later, it was effectively game over - certainly in the context of this Blues display.

John Mousinho’s men never suggested they were capable of finding a way back, especially in the absence of Josh Murphy, Callum Lang and Colby Bishop, all rightly rested.

Goodness knows how the Blues would cope if the talented trio became the latest additions to the treatment room. But let’s not tempt fate here.

Mousinho had prioritised Championship survival over the FA Cup and, as a consequence, elimination at the third round stage will not be mourned too much by the head coach.

There was also a glaring reminder how this squad must continue to be strengthened during the January window, with Rob Atkinson and Hayden so far the encouraging arrivals.

Still plenty of work to do, but not in the FA Cup this year, that avenue has now closed. Time to concentrate on the league and avoid facing any more League One clubs next season.

Ahead of the trip to Buckinghamshire, Mousinho had pledged to rotate his side and, among the nine changes, were full debuts for Kamara and Atkinson.

Freddie Potts and Paddy Lane were the only players who kept their place from last Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

That meant recalls for Jordan Archer, Terry Devlin, McIntyre, Jordan Williams, Owen Moxon, Matt Ritchie and Christian Saydee.

McIntyre partnered Atkinson in the centre of Pompey’s defence, ensuring the Blues had two left-footed centre-halves and two right-footed full-backs.

Among the substitutes were Academy trio Harry Clout, Michael Ani and Tayo Singerr, backed up by six of the team which started at the Stadium of Light.

It took little over a minute for the Blues to threaten the Wycombe goal - and they very nearly scored.

Lane picked up the ball after a slip by a Wycombe man and surged into the box before firing a fierce shot, which was saved by keeper Shamal George.

Saydee followed up and, with back to goal, attempted a backheel which was blocked on the line, with Pompey’s players appealing for handball, but nothing was given and the move ended.

Wycombe were forced into a change in the eighth minute, with the injured George replaced by Nathan Bishop in goal.

Out of nowhere, the hosts broke the deadlock on 18 minutes after some poor Pompey defending from the left-hand side.

Lane gave chase but was unable to prevent Gideon Kudua’s break and, when Atkinson failed to cut out the threat, the ball ricocheted for Hanlan to fire home an angled shot to make it 1-0.

It got worse for Pompey on 27 minutes after Lane conceded a free-kick down the left-hand side.

The subsequent set-piece was delivered into the box by Like Leahy and former Blues defender Bradley comfortably headed past Archer to make it 2-0.

Mousinho’s men steadily began to find their feet, yet, frustratingly, time and time again were wasting the final ball in the last third from promising positions.

There was a Potts shot which flew comfortably over the bar, but otherwise the visitors were barely threatening, offering absolutely no hope of an Adams Park comeback.

The half-time whistle was greeted with boos by the travelling faithful, representing an awful opening 45 minutes from the Championship side.

Mousinho made three substitutions at the break, with Atkinson, Archer and Potts coming off and Ryley Towler, Andre Dozzell and Nicolas Schmid introduced.

Certainly in the case of Potts and Atkinson it appeared the sensible decision was made to protect them, while Archer’s withdrawal may have been an injury issue.

Thankfully the Blues started the second half with more menace and a nice move started by Dozzell eventually saw the ball pulled back for Moxon to crash a first-time shot against the roof of the stand behind the goal.

Nonetheless, it was a promising move, something which was missing from the first-half display from Mousinho’s men.

Then Moxon attempted to put Lane through with a clever pass, before the ball returned to him and he screwed a left-footed cross out of play at the far post.

That was a great moment for Academy youngster Clout on 76 minutes when he was introduced for his first-team debut.

As the game petered out, members of the 1,569 travelling fans chanted ‘We want a shot’ - and got their wish in the 91st minute with a long-distance attempt from McIntyre pushed around the post.

Nonetheless, it was another away defeat - this time an early exit from the FA Cup coming as a consequence.