US Portsmouth boss Turnbull hoping ‘harsh words’ will help his squad deal with ‘different type of pressure’

US Portsmouth manager Glenn Turnbull (white top) admits 'harsh words' were spoken after Tuesday's injury-time loss at Alton. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

After losing just four times in 28 Wessex League Division 1 games in 2019/20, US have lost two of their first four matches this season.

On Tuesday they conceded a 93rd minute winner to crash 2-1 at Alton after leading at half-time through James Franklyn’s sixth goal of the term.

It was a distinct case of deja vu - US had lost by the same score to an injury time winner on a 3G pitch at Anstey Park last November, after having taken the lead.

‘Alton celebrated their winning goal as if they’d won the World Cup,’ said Turnbull.

‘Their manager said afterwards he thinks we’re the best team in the league and this was a game they really wanted to win.

‘The players are going to have to get used to this.

‘Last season we were the underdogs a bit, but now every team will raise their game against us - it’s better to be doing the hunting rather than the one being hunted.

‘I told the players in pre-season that we’re going to have to improve by 20 per cent in order to stand still.

‘It’s like a second season syndrome. We need to deal with a different type of pressure, and at the moment we’re coming up short.

‘I don’t think wholesale changes are needed.

‘We just need to cut out the odd individual mistake and stop giving away cheap goals.

‘But are we making those mistakes because we’re struggling to deal with the extra pressure?

‘There were a few harsh words in the changing room afterwards at Alton, from players and management.

‘Hopefully they will hit home with one or two of them.’

Turnbull said the players were warned at half-time at Alton what to expect.

‘We said they had to be strong, be resilient.

‘We knew what to expect - Alton’s warm-up existed of them hitting 70-yard diagonal balls - but we couldn’t deal with it.

‘The winning goal came when Harry Birmingham ducked under a long ball and it hit him on the back and went out for a corner.

‘They swung the corner in under the crossbar and it was tapped in.’

US now host table-topping Folland Sports - who have won all four of their games so far - this Saturday.