Our standards are much, much higher – Danny Cowley demands more from Pompey

Posted Sunday, November 07, 2021 by PA

Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley criticised his side’s poor standards in their slender 1-0 victory over non-league Harrow Borough.

Pompey, who won the FA Cup in 1939 and 2008, edged past Harrow – 83 places and four divisions below – thanks to Marcus Harness’ 28th-minute tap-in.

They created plenty of chances in the first half but it was minnows Boro who looked more likely to nick a result after half-time.

And Cowley was not impressed with what he saw, saying: “We are pleased to win the game, pleased to keep a clean sheet and pleased to be through but we have to play better than that.

“In the first half we got into good areas and lacked the decision-making and execution but I didn’t like the second half.

“I didn’t like the energy, the intensity and the purpose that we played with. I’m not going to come out here and lie and I’ve told the players this too.

“Our standards are much, much higher and they need to be higher if we are going to achieve anything this season.

“I just wanted to win. I knew how important it was to us as a club. I knew it was a difficult game and I want to give credit to Steve Baker and his players. They were a credit to themselves and non-league football.”

Harness slotted in his sixth goal of the season and could have had another when he struck a post.

But Southern League Premier South side Harrow, who were on a run of 15 wins in their last 17 matches and four clean sheets in a row, had good chances through George Moore and James Ewington to force a replay.

Boro boss Baker said: “Your only concern when you come to a place like this is that you are going to be 3-0 down inside 20 minutes.

“The plan was to stay in the game as long as we could and after a shaky start we settled down and were OK.

“I’d have taken 1-0 down at half-time before the game and was really impressed with the second half.

“We created three or four chances and we usually take our chances. I think we should have nicked a goal.

“We were hoping with 10 minutes to go we could have had that one chance to nick a goal.

“I would have rather lose 4-3 having a go than lose 1-0 sitting in and not having a go, oddly we lost 1-0, but we did have a go and on another day it could have been different.

“Financially this is the holy grail for clubs at our level but for managers and players it is about putting in a performance that could change your life. The stock of everyone has risen over the last couple of weeks.”