Kenny Jackett thought Portsmouth were denied a penalty in defeat to Shrewsbury

Posted Sunday, January 28, 2018 by PA

Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett felt his side should have been given a penalty in their 1-0 defeat to Shrewsbury at Fratton Park.

James Bolton netted his first goal for Shrewsbury since his summer move from Gateshead to lift his side back into the automatic promotion spots.

But Jackett saw his side’s appeal for a penalty waved away by referee David Coote after Shaun Whalley appeared to handle the ball in his own area.

Jackett said: “We had some key moments. The first was the penalty appeal and then we had (Brett) Pitman hit the bar at the end.

“I haven’t seen the incident again but my first impression was that it is a penalty and that’s why I appealed for it at the time. I won’t look at it again because there is no point.

“I appealed for it at the time and I had a clear view but you have to accept that the referee didn’t give it.

“To be fair to Shrewsbury, they were the side that made the difference and kept a clean sheet.”

Shrewsbury went ahead in the 21st minute when Whalley’s corner was prodded in by Bolton at the back post.

Pompey should have equalised in the 31st minute when Gareth Evans’ cross found the unmarked Oliver Hawkins but the striker was denied by goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray.

Shrewsbury’s MacGillivary made a string of fine saves in the opening exchanges of the second half including a fingertip save to deny another Hawkins header in the 56th minute.

Pompey substitute Brett Pitman hit the bar in the 84th minute before midfielder Adam May was sent off for the home side after picking up his second yellow card in stoppage time.

Shrewsbury manager Paul Hurst felt the referee managed the occasion well, despite the pressure he was put under.

Hurst said: “I honestly didn’t think it was a penalty.

“The reaction of the crowd and the Portsmouth players start to make you wonder if it was.

“But the ruling is always about it being intentional and I didn’t think for one minute that there was any intent.

“Rightly or wrongly, referees can often feel under pressure from the big crowds and I know the Portsmouth fans would have gone home very unhappy with the referee today.

“But I liked the manner in which we won. It would have been great if we could have won more comfortably as on the outside there are a few doubters.

“But to come here and beat a big club with their own ambitions was big for us.”