Portsmouth skipper: Take the point and move on

Gareth Evans celebrates after levelling for Pompey with a header. Picture: Joe PeplerGareth Evans celebrates after levelling for Pompey with a header. Picture: Joe Pepler
Gareth Evans celebrates after levelling for Pompey with a header. Picture: Joe Pepler
Gareth Evans reflected on two points which slipped away '“ although admitted at one stage defeat was feared.

Rain-soaked Fratton Park witnessed an infuriating match at times, with fussy referee Craig Hicks and Wycombe stalling tactics contributing to the frustration.

The Chairboys had been leading through a superbly-taken 21st-minute opener from Bryn Morris as Pompey's unbeaten league record came under threat.

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It was skipper Evans who eventually levelled on 57 minutes, heading home Jamal Lowe's excellent first-time cross from the right.

Gareth Evans celebrates after levelling for Pompey with a header. Picture: Joe PeplerGareth Evans celebrates after levelling for Pompey with a header. Picture: Joe Pepler
Gareth Evans celebrates after levelling for Pompey with a header. Picture: Joe Pepler

A dramatic finale saw substitute Brett Pitman convert another Lowe cross to hand Kenny Jackett's man the lead with four minutes remaining.

Then Joe Jacobson converted an 89th-minute penalty following Christian Burgess' nudge on Fred Onyedinma to ensure the match finished 2-2.

And with Pompey also knocked off League One's top by Peterborough, there was disappointment in the Blues' dressing room.

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Evans said: '˜It was a bit of a flat performance until that point (his equaliser), we couldn't quite get into a rhythm and get our game going.

'˜The atmosphere probably reflected that a little bit, there was a bit of frustration around the ground, so to get the goal lifted us and we went on to get the second goal.

'˜From the position we were in '“ 2-1 with four minutes to go '“ we're disappointed not to win the game, but the unbeaten run continues and I see that as a positive.

'˜We are pleased with that run, it's something we want to continue for as long as possible and, from the way the game was panning out at one stage, we probably have to take that really.

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'˜The gaffer had been going on all week saying he felt they (Wycombe) were quite an attacking team and there was a good chance they were going to score a goal, so we needed to be on our A game in terms of attacking.

'˜Possibly we weren't quite at it attacking-wise, but that happens, we take the point and move on.'

At the time of Evans' equaliser, Jackett was preparing to bring on both Pitman and Joe Mason.

Yet once the midfielder netted, both players were told to return to the bench '“ and were instead used in the game later on.

Evans added: '˜He was probably about to take me off!

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'˜For the time you are on the pitch you've got to keep going and it just so happens Jamal put a good cross in and I managed to put it into the back of the net and probably delayed the substitution for a little bit.

'˜I didn't see them, I sort of looked over at the bench and saw the two poor lads putting their jumpers back on!'

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