OK where do you start after the Swindon game! First of all, somewhat predictably, there is still no answer about out off the pitch woes.

The game last night was a wonder to behold for any neutrals visiting Fratton Park, mind you I don’t think you get many neutrals going to watch games in League One.

When we lost at home to Oldham it could be attributed to some astonishingly weak refereeing and playing against a side who were streetwise enough to take advantage of the situation.

When we lost at home on Saturday against Walsall we were undone by a side that were prepared to work very hard, who closed us down high up the pitch and by some quite astonishing finishing combined with, it has to be said, some suspect goalkeeping.

But last night was different altogether. We looked what we are…a bunch of misfits that no other clubs want…up against a quality side that would survive comfortably in the top half of the Championship. 1-0 up at half-time; it could have been six!. Like the Cherries a couple of weeks ago they (Swindon) missed a whole host of chances but there was also some fantastic goalkeeping by Andersen…that was until the 44th minute when almost inevitably Matt Ritchie scored…he looks some player now! Their second goal was peach but came about because we’ve got a right-back who is very good at going forward but not so good at defending where he spends most of his time sat on his ‘arris!

Unbelievably the last 15 minutes was like going to a different match. There was little doubt that a tiring Swindon with the cushion of a two goal lead and probably a little complacent, having witnessed just how little we had to offer, sat back and they so nearly paid the price as we finally put a side under the cosh creating five or six gilt-edged chances but unfortunately only converting one of them. That was largely due to some fantastic goalkeeping .. on another day the final score could have been about 9-5!!

Building a squad by walking up and down the job seekers allowance queue and calling in a few old favours was always going to be, shall we say, challenging, but I think that the quality shown by other sides in League One has come as a bit of a shock for most of us (except those, of course, who know everything about football) and it has certainly put ‘Appy back on his heels.

I’m not about to join the band of idiots on local websites calling for his head but he doesn’t appear to be learning too quickly at the moment. In simple terms you’re not going to enjoy any success at all in this league by playing slow patient football where you think that unchallenged possession in your own half is a given. Swindon last night were quick, innovative, physical and confident in their own ability. They weren’t one dimensional as you might suspect a di Canio side to play, they mixed it up and they did it very well.

For weeks now we’ve laying the blame for or poor defensive displays at the feet of a succession of central defenders but anyone can see that we desperately need a holding player in front of them, full-backs who can defend, wide players who understand what their defensive duties are and an additional two strikers. Now we all know that that probably isn’t going to happen, especially overnight. So ‘Appy has to make the best of the available resources by looking at an entirely different tactical approach appropriate for this level.

Still it’s nice just to worry about the football for a change, isn’t it?

Even with a thousand or so from Wiltshire a gate of over 12,000 last night was impressive especially if you take into account that we lost (again) on Saturday, work commitments and the fact that Real Madrid and City were live on TV. The turnout from the Island, as evidenced by the 2215 sailing, was astonishing…Well done Island Blues!

Chris Hougham is the Chairman of the Isle of Wight Pompsey Supporters Club. Visit their website here. His views are his own and don't necessarily reflect the editorial view of pompey-fans.com.

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