Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley says he was left hurt by abuse and booing from his own club’s fans after defeat to MK Dons on Saturday.
Jack Tucker and Bradley Johnson both scored to give the relegation-threatened and managerless MK Dons a 2-0 League One win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park.
The away side got rid of Liam Manning last week after a fifth consecutive loss in the league. However, long-serving player Dean Lewington, acting as interim boss, managing a crucial win.
Denver Hume, Josh Koroma were both denied Pompey by Clark Robertson.
Conor Grant scored his fifth goal of this season with a wicked cross.
Koroma thought that he had equalized when he got in back and passed Jamie Cumming, but was flagged offside.
Pompey screamed that the ball was being played by a defensive player.
Home fans were furious when Tucker was able poke in a corner from the far post to celebrate his first Dons goal.
There were chants of “This is embarrassing” when Pompey lost at home. Their run without a league victory was extended to six matches.
“We’re all hurt by the reaction,” said Cowley afterwards. “We understand it because this is a big club with big expectations. It’s frustrating for us.
“That’s our first loss here since January, but we haven’t won enough games in the league and that’s where it stems from.
“The players are down and I don’t believe in kicking people when they’re down, so we’ll draw breath and pick the bones out if it next week.
“There’s character in the dressing room and we believe in the work we’ll do, so we’re confident we’ll find the solutions.”
I have never seen Fratton clear out like this with 10 mins to go. The sad truth is, however much you analyse #Pompey this season (or since PL relegation) the sad truth is; with each year of lower league mediocrity the belief chips away & now the magic has gone from Fratton pic.twitter.com/xIXt4wpRJH
— Joe Michalczuk (@joemichalczuk) December 17, 2022
#Pompey full time reaction says it all. pic.twitter.com/Pq22Lq8oGu
— Jim Bonner (@FrattonFaithful) December 17, 2022
Says it all #Pompey pic.twitter.com/4x7A5TZCYH
— BlakePFC (@blakepfc) December 17, 2022
Cowley added via the club website: “We conceded two disappointing goals from set-pieces – both of them from short corners – and when that happens, you tend not to win football matches.
“I thought we had a good start – probably the best we’ve had at home this season. Then they scored with their first attack.
“That’s happened too many times for us, but we got momentum back, only for two big moments to go against us.
“I don’t want to use that as an excuse because we’ve conceded soft goals and the whole performance gets judged on that.”
“The assistant referee has got it wrong on both occasions, with Josh given offside when he was clearly on in the first half.
“For the second one he was onside regardless and the flag shouldn’t have gone up, but then their defender plays the ball, so it doesn’t matter.
“The referee has apologised afterwards because he’s blown his whistle too early and couldn’t give the goal after that.
“But I don’t want to use that as an excuse because we’ve conceded soft goals and the whole performance gets judged on that.
“We’re all hurt by the reaction, but we understand it because this is a big club with big expectations. It’s frustrating for us.
“That’s our first loss here since January, but we haven’t won enough games in the league and that’s where it stems from.
“The players are down and I don’t believe in kicking people when they’re down, so we’ll draw breath and pick the bones out if it next week.
“There’s character in the dressing room and we believe in the work we’ll do, so we’re confident we’ll find the solutions.”
This is what fans said with Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley hurt by abuse and booing from own fans after the MK Dons defeat…
@PompeyBulldogKG: @eric_eisner @dancowley1 greatest respect lads pack them bags and dash
@Hayden_PFC: Lack of quality is defendable, lack of effort is NOT.
@Nio62487226: 17 of December and I’m feeling like this season is already over…
@TomCart59710557: This has got to be it now surely? @eric_eisner @Michael_Eisner please sack him. I’m a huge fan of your ownership but this manager is awful
@twinklestar203: All the big talk you lot have it at the start of the season lol
@Willmott3Sam: Worse performance I’ve seen in ages, even worse than the 4-0 Northampton game
@Ruffy_Roy: Lot of experienced players on decent wages needing to have a good hard look at themselves tonight. Cowley can’t be blamed for players not finding simple passes, not putting in the effort and not playing for the shirt.
@msucol158: Totally abysmal, disjointed and no shape. Something is not right behind the scenes. The players are frustrated, particularly those left on the bench.
@Richardcof56: Pitiful and inept performance this afternoon… I drove 60 miles each way to watch that dross, thanks lads, you never bothered turning up. Absolutely pissed off doesn’t doesn’t begin to cover it, oh yes COWLEY OUT NOW!
@1richiebarnes: Cowley knew how they’d line up and knew how they’d play and still managed to make a complete mess of the tactics and starting lineup. Absolute amateur at best.
@JHWAFC22: You men need to get rid of Cowley asap @CallumDowst
@ByngSam: Done with this era already
@GaryEllis17: Lost the fans, lost the dressing room and this chancer still has the safest job in footbal. Don’t worry about a postgame interview because local journalists are too scared to ask the difficult questions, so we can rinse and repeat the same shit Cowley spouts after every game
@petestaxi: We were 12 points ahead of Bristol Rovers when we beat them, they are 2 in front of us now , good thing we play that fast attacking football, or it would be really boring , 🤔
@jordy_drapes: I’m done with football 😩
@Povey1990: This one is on the Cowleys. Wrong line up, clear after 10 mins the formation was wrong. Went 1-0 down. Changed nothing at HT. Only changed things at 2-0 down. But even then no identity, just hit the panic button. Rightly boo’d off at the end. I like Cowley, but he’s got to go.
@kennybpb: Management teams learn more during challenging periods so during challenging times management teams need supported. It’s easy to support them when things are perfect, support your management team and show together you are an unbreakable team.
@HarvMarksy: First loss at Fratton since January. Absolutely pathetic and embarrassing. Don’t see how there’s anyway back for him now. He won’t get sacked but I don’t see how or what changes it. MK Dons were joint bottom before today btw.
@Jay_Pinecone: Poor result from Pompey but an overreaction from the fans. No fit right back has hurt the team, but still only a few points off the playoffs.
@mxt84: 442 working alright lads?
@HazzaTWood96: A home defeat against MK, I’m sorry but I think Cowley has to go as soon as, I like Cowley as a person and a football manager, but we need a more experienced figurehead to get things firing in the right direction again or someone who has fresher ideas, this has got to give IMHO.
@84Knight: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Cowley out. @eric_eisner @Michael_Eisner
@NealCosten: Go now. I’m not one for knee jerk reaction but this has been coming for a long time. Certainly for more than just this season ! Words don’t translate into results.
— Harry (@MrDavishPFC) December 17, 2022
Get this man in now! Needs a few weeks to look at the squad and get his targets!! Cowley brought in a team of nice people Richardson will bring in some dirty winners #pompey pic.twitter.com/HKRxpNvFS9
— daniel edmunds (@danieledmunds4) December 17, 2022
— Sam Westbrook (@SamWesty7) December 17, 2022
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