Gaffer: Portsmouth’s commitment, passion and desire cannot be faulted in Peterborough defeat

Gaffer for a Day, Crispin Harwood, aged 50 from Cosham, analyses Pompey’s 3-2 defeat to Peterborough...
By Neil Allen
Published 1st May 2019, 01:33 BST
Updated 1st May 2019, 01:53 BST
Oliver Hawkins is devastated after missing out on automatic promotion, but Gaffer for a Day, Crispin Harwood, has praised the players' commitment. Picture: Robin Jones.Oliver Hawkins is devastated after missing out on automatic promotion, but Gaffer for a Day, Crispin Harwood, has praised the players' commitment. Picture: Robin Jones.
Oliver Hawkins is devastated after missing out on automatic promotion, but Gaffer for a Day, Crispin Harwood, has praised the players' commitment. Picture: Robin Jones.

What did you make of that?

I really enjoyed the game, it was good to watch, exciting, and I thought our players were excellent.

You can’t fault the commitment, passion and desire. They gave us everything we wanted from them. They were certainly up for it.

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Yes we’ve booed at times this season, I don’t get why you shouldn’t boo, let the players know you aren’t happy.

Cheer when you score, show displeasure when not so good – but I can see why the crowd cheered the players off last night.

 

You’ve given a lot of high ratings there.

Yes, they all put a shift in, you cannot fault their commitment and desire.

We got at Peterborough early on and the first time the visitors came out of their own area they scored. That’s how it goes sometimes.

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Our centre-halves struggled a little bit against Ivan Toney, who was a handful and put himself about.

There is no man of the match and I have given everyone a nine rating because of their commitment and effort.

 

How did you see that pivotal moment involving Brett Pitman and Viv Solomon-Otabor?

I cannot believe Solomon-Otabor overtook him and I cannot believe Pitman passed it to him. Then Peterborough went straight up the other end and scored.

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Perhaps Pitman didn’t realise the winger was steaming up so quickly? Perhaps Solomon-Otabor should have checked his run?

It’s not anyone’s fault. The adrenaline was pumping heading towards the Fratton end knowing you could make it 3-2 after being 2-0 down.

I can understand Solomon-Otabor’s excitement getting the better of him.

 

What are Pompey’s chances in the play-offs?

I wouldn’t like to meet Charlton, they've been best side I’ve seen this year.

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I don’t think Pompey should fear anyone, though, we are a good side, although our record in the play-offs isn’t all that and a concern.

I’m in Ibiza for both play-off semi-finals, I have a long-standing arrangement I’ve been told I can’t get out of.

But I’ll be back for Wembley!

 

Craig MacGillivray 9

Nathan Thompson 9

Christian Burgess 9

Matt Clarke 9

Lee Brown 9

Ben Close 9

Tom Naylor 9

Jamal Lowe 9

Brett Pitman 9

Ronan Curtis 9

James Vaughan 9 (Oli Hawkins 9)

Related topics:PeterboroughPortsmouthPompey