Barker's Mansfield verdict: They were punch drunk
Saturday, 18th Jan 2014 20:44 by pompey-fans.com staff

Richie Barker is delighted his side have now lost only one of their last five - but admits they are recording too many draws.

He felt Pompey had Mansfield on the ropes at the end of the teams' 1-1 draw at Fratton which leaves Pompey still too close for comfort to the bottom two.

Barker said: 'They (Mansfield) looked like a boxer who was punch drunk. I think they were desperate for the whistle. I think if you'd have offered them the whistle for the last half an hour, they'd have taken it.

'Our decision-making in the final third wasn't great and it let us down the odd time. But it was wave after wave of attack and fair play to the lads. They responded extremely well after going a goal down.

'I'm disappointed because we should have won the game. On the performance, I was pleased with 80 per cent of it. But the 15 minutes where we lost our way a little bit in the second half cost us. I'm full of praise for the way our players came back and their desire not to lose the game. I thought we were fantastic for the last half an hour, but it's a shame we had to go behind for that to happen.

'The positive is we've lost one in five now. We've drawn too many, but we're hopefully becoming difficult to beat. The momentum and belief is starting to grow and I genuinely believe that if we'd played another five minutes, we'd have won the game.'