Portsmouth skipper: No doom and gloom here

And the striker has backed the Blues to overcome QPR at the second time of FA Cup asking.

Kenny Jackett’s men produced a superb second-half display on Saturday to threaten another upset over Championship opposition.

Joel Lynch’s own goal handed the hosts a 63rd minute lead at a vibrant Fratton Park.

Yet Nahki Wells’ leveller 11 minutes later secured a 1-1 draw for Steve McClaren’s men, booking a Loftus Road replay.

It was an impressive display from Pompey following successive league defeats in below-par performances.

And Pitman dismissed suggestions of a worrying dip affecting promotion aspirations. 

He said: ‘I’ve been proud of them all season. Against QPR I thought we were excellent, we deserved to win.

‘There has been a lot written about these disappointing league results and how we need to bring in 12 players all of a sudden.

‘Look, we are second in the league, we are still in three competitions, we aren’t doing badly.

‘Obviously we’re disappointed with the Blackpool result. We probably didn’t do enough to win the game, but we didn’t deserve to lose it.

‘Then at Oxford we probably didn’t perform to our standards and deserved to lose, but that’s two games out of a lot of matches this season, you aren’t going to perform in every one.

‘We – as players, staff and management – haven’t got really high when winning week in, week out. And in the last two weeks we haven’t got too low because we know we’re not too far away.

‘After the last two performances, a lot has been written and makes it look like it’s all doom and gloom.

‘Sometimes you have to take a step back and take stock of what we are doing and what we are achieving. We were top of the league, but are still in a good position.’

Having eliminated Norwich, the Blues fell 14 minutes short of also claiming the scalp of QPR.

Missing Jamal Lowe through suspension, Andy Cannon cup-tied and Oli Hawkins and Nathan Thompson injured, changes were enforced.

Nonetheless, the Blues went close – and their skipper is convinced they can go one better at Loftus Road.

Pitman added: ‘Why can’t we win the replay? I thought we were the better team on Saturday, we haven't got anything to fear going to their place.

‘There wasn’t much difference, but I don't think there’s a whole lot of difference between the top end of League One and probably the majority of the Championship.

‘The top end of the Championship is a step up, but I don't think there is a massive difference.

‘What is different is that Championship teams are better in both boxes and it showed on Saturday. QPR haven’t really done anything – and they scored.’