Portsmouth 1 Swansea 2: Neil Allen's verdict - No way back as shocking first-half condemns Blues to defeat

Denied at the death by Blackburn, yet there was to be no comeback from the dead against Swansea.

A tale of two halves, yet, ultimately, John Mousinho’s men had left themselves with far too much work, slumping to a 2-1 defeat as their worrying Fratton Park form continues.

The shocking Blues trialled 2-0 at the break following goals from Ethan Galbraith and Josh Key, yet, in truth, the Swans were much more superior than the scoreline suggested.

With slick passing, excellent movement, and Jisung Eom giving Terry Devlin a torrid time, the classy visitors cruised into the interval, with dreadful Pompey’s only threat coming from a Jacob Brown shot which hit the inside of the post.

Inevitably, Mousino’s men were booed off for that wretched 45 minutes, arguably one of their worst at Fratton Park this season. Certainly few of the starting XI could escape criticism.

The out-of-sorts Milli Alli was hauled off at the break, a decision few could argue with, and with Conor Chaplin introduced, steadily the Blues raised their performance.

Jacob Brown pulled one back on 64 minutes with his maiden Pompey goal, sparking hope, yet there was to be no grandstand finale, despite finishing the stronger of the two sides.

And, for the second match running, Mousinho will be fuming about aspects of the result - on this occasion an abysmal first-half showing.

The Blues boss handed a surprise start to Madiodio Dia, making his full debut after two previous outings off the bench.

Replaced Regan Poole at centre-half, with the Welshman ruled out after damaging his ankle during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

Intriguingly, Conor Shaughnessy, who made his latest injury comeback at Ewood Park after replacing Poole in the second half, wasn’t even included in the Blues’ 20-man squad.

Dia was one of two changes for Pompey, with Brown granted only his second start for the club following his assist after featuring as a substitute against Blackburn.

He replaced Conor Chaplin in the number 10 role, operating off Colby Bishop, with Chaplin dropping to the bench.

Meanwhile, John Swift was available after recovering from the hamstring injury which had sidelined him for two matches, taking his place among the substitutes.

When the match kicked off, Swansea had a glorious chance to break the deadlock inside the opening five minutes through Zan Vipotnik.

Josh Key got the better of Zak Swanson down the right flank and pulled the ball back for the striker, who blazed a first-time right-footed shot over the bar when he should have done far better.

Moments later, Josh Tymon’s delivery from the left was met with a thumping Vipotnik header which flew over the bar once again.

Pompey themselves thought they had scored on 19 minutes, when Zak Swanson’s right-wing corner found its way to Brown on the edge of the penalty area.

The attacker’s first-time right-footed shot beat keeper Lawrence Vigouroux, only to strike the inside of the post and bounce out - with some of the Fratton faithful cheering in the misbelief it had entered the net.

Yet it was the visitors who took the lead on 25 minutes, when Galbraith struck a first-time curling right-footed shot into the far corner of the net.

Swansea were cruising, impressing with their slick passing and excellent movement, while Jisung Eom was giving Terry Devlin a testing time.

Sure enough, the Swans increased their lead on 38 minutes, when Key was allowed time and space to control the ball outside the box on the right - and effortlessly clipped a right-footed shot into the far corner.

It was another excellent finish from the visitors, who now led 2-0 in a match in which the Blues were barely laying a glove on them.

Unsurprisingly, the hosts were booed off at the break after a dreadful opening 45 minutes in which Swansea cruised with embarrassing ease.

Mousinho made one substitution at the interval, with Chaplin replacing the out-of-sorts Alli. In the reshuffle, Brown moved to the right, Caballero to the left, with Chaplin as the number 10.

But that was no change in terms of the performance and, on 55 minutes, Dia was caught in possession and, with just Nicolas Schmid to beat, Galbraith fired past the far post.

Shortly afterwards, the Blues did get into the net with a smart first-time finish from Chaplin, but the ball was adjudged to have gone out of play when Caballero had crossed it from the left-hand byline.

However, Pompey did get their lifeline on 65 minutes, following a wonderful curling right-footed cross from the left by Swanson.

Such was its quality, it was screaming to be headed home by somebody inside the six-yard box - and that person was Brown. Suddenly it was 2-1.

Fratton Park came alive, hoping the comeback could be completed, and noticeably there was now an extra zip about the Blues’ play.

The visitors made a double substitution - for a second time - on this occasion former Pompey player Joel Ward introduced into the action.

Within seconds, Ward found himself in the referee’s book after taking too long over an attacking throw-in in front of the South Stand.

Mousinho made his second change on 76 minutes with the goalscorer Brown replaced by Adrian Segecic.

Soon Swift and Harvey Blair were thrown on in the hunt for a leveller, with the former’s 90th-minute header from a Pack right-wing corner finding the arms of the Swansea keeper.

That was to be their final opportunity as Swansea held on and Pompey missed another chance to register a positive result at Fratton Park.