'Attitude and aptitude' of Portsmouth reserves praised following draw with Exeter

The Blues picked up their first point of the Premier League Cup group D campaign against the Grecians at Nyewood Lane last night.

Bradley Lethbridge and Matt Casey twice out the hosts in front in the second half but they were pegged back on both occasions.

Nevertheless, Kelly was delighted with the application his fledgling troops showed against a more experienced Exeter outfit.

He said: ‘It was a fair result. The attitude and aptitude was excellent, the boys put in a really good shift.

‘It showed them the other side of football and the levels and volume required. I asked them in the dressing room how they felt and they said “tired".

‘That's football. They were playing against a side a little bit older than them but that’s what the ask is every day, every week, every month, every year.

‘From that point of view, it stretches them. I’ve said before about these challenges and it's a good challenge to play against older boys in areas.

‘They're learning their trade and the game. At 2-1, we might have had another goal and might have won, but their attitude was brilliant.

‘It was frustrating we let two leads slip but that’s the volume playing against older players.

‘I thought they were looking a bit leggy towards the end and that can catch up against lads who’ve got a few years on you over the course of 90 minutes.

‘But I thought the attitude and element around it was excellent and I was really pleased the way they went about it.’

The reserves are back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Plymouth in the Central League Cup.