Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley unhappy with reaction after going down at MK Dons

Posted Sunday, September 12, 2021 by PA

Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley was disappointed by his side’s reaction to going a goal down after Portsmouth suffered a 1-0 League One defeat at MK Dons.

Following a tightly-contested opening 70 minutes, the Dons snatched a deserved winner through a counter attack when Scott Twine played a through ball to Ethan Robson, who poked home from close range.

The win leaves the Dons fifth in the table, just three points behind leaders Sunderland, who have a game in hand, while Portsmouth’s continued poor form saw them drop to 11th.

Pompey boss Cowley said: “I was more disappointed with the way we reacted after the goal.

“We were too emotional and stopped doing what we were doing.

“No way should conceding a goal take you away from the way you play or our process.

“We’re disappointed to have lost our last two games. MK Dons are a good team, but I’m more disappointed with the way we responded to the goal today.

“I think at 70 minutes, I could only see one winner, I thought we had wrestled control and I thought we had a good place in the game.

“We didn’t execute our decision-making in the final moment and we created enough away from home to win the game.”

The best chance of the early stages fell to MK Dons forward Hiram Boateng, who picked up a misplaced pass on the edge of the area before watching his first-time effort smack the post.

Portsmouth goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who saved a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty during the international break, made a good save when Troy Parrott’s strike looked set to find the net.

However, he was beaten when Robson finished a counter-attack with 18 minutes remaining to seal the win.

MK Dons manager Liam Manning said: “We’ve got a group of really committed, hard-working players and they’re a joy to work with at the minute, so it’s about keeping those attitudes and behaviours in good times and bad times because that’s what gets you through.

“There’s a long way to go and we mustn’t get carried away.

“In terms of results and performances and expectations, it’s important that we stay grounded and control what we can week to week.

“We know that with the quality we have in the team, we can go and hurt sides, the goal was a terrific moment and a fantastic bit of quality.

“I feel we could have looked after the ball a bit better at times and looked after possession a bit more.

“I was disappointed to not come in ahead at half-time but then it flipped in the second half, they got on top and we didn’t get the press quite right.”