'That's what they've got to do' - Portsmouth told exactly how to stay in Championship ahead of crucial Plymouth Argyle and Preston North End games
Guy Whittingham has told Pompey they need to show the same aggression and bravery they demonstrated in the second half at Hull if they want to maintain their Championship status.
The Fratton Park legend hailed the Blues’ response after they went into the break at the MKM Stadium 1-0 down - and facing the real possibility of recording a seventh league defeat of the season.
He liked the fact that several members of the team fell to the ground due to exhaustion at the final whistle, with their athleticism, front-footed approach and high press paying off as Pompey came from behind, thanks to Josh Murphy’s first goal for the club 20 seconds after the restart, to claim a hard-earned point.
It could have been an even better result had Callum Lang’s shot not hit the woodwork in injury time, after Murphy’s effort was initially saved by Hul keeper Ivan Pandur.
However, welcoming the point earned and the effort needed to secure it, Whittingham stressed it’s exactly the type of performance which will see the Blues move off the bottom of the table and towards Championship safety.
He told BBC Radio Solent: ‘He (Mousinho) was delighted with the second half. He was okay with the first half, one or two tweaks he needed to do didn’t quite commit to it. But they committed to it in the second half - they really did, they really did well.
‘Half a dozen fell to the ground at the final whistle - but I think that’s what they’ve got to realise. That’s what they’ve got to do just to stay in this league at this moment in time.’
The draw ended Pompey’s two-match losing streak and gave the players a much-need confidence boost ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to Plymouth Argyle, who dropped into the relegation zone following their 3-0 defeat at Leeds on Saturday.
The Blues remain bottom of the pile and three points from safety, though, going into a week that also sees them face Preston North End - who sit 20th - at Fratton Park on Saturday.