Tormentor slays Portsmouth again as Mousinho’s men fall to depressing Cheltenham defeat

John Mousinho's side waste chance to open up lead over Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Peterborough United & Co

Pompey fell to defeat at Cheltenham today.

Pompey tormentor Liam Sercombe again struck to stick a knife into their promotion ambitions. Two second-half goals from the man who's now scored against the Blues six times gave his Cheltenham side a 2-1 win today. Tom Bradbury's own goal looked set to send John Mousinho's side on their way in a game they largely controlled until that point.

But poor defending allowed Sercombe to hit two goals in three minutes and condemn Pompey to defeat. It meant Mousinho's men suffered their third league defeat of the season in front of 1,517 travelling fans, on an afternoon where they failed to extend their two-point lead at the top with their rivals in FA Cup action. Steve Cotterill was in the crowd to watch two of his former sides collide.

He saw Sean Raggett head the first chance on target after 10 minutes, but Luke Southwood got across to claim the ball. The lively Abu Kamara then teed up Marlon Pack, but his poked shot was again claimed by Southwood. Kamara was then very harshly booked for a penalty shout as he nipped in as Tom Pett tried to slide the ball away.

Ref Simon Mather booked the Norwich loanee, however, in a perplexing decision. Mousinho was then fuming as Paddy Lane lashed home a 25 yarder after Abu Kamara was upended, but Mather failed to play the advantage. The game exploded to life after the break with three goals in five minutes - two to the home side.

Tom Bradbury put past his own keeper in the 49th minute under pressure from Bishop after decent work from Lane and Raggett from a long throw. Then Sercombe took centre stage as he first hooked home a long throw the Pompey defence failed to clear. Then the scourge of Pompey blitzed home the second as Shaughnessy lost the ball to Lloyd in a rare mistake from the defender.

Two quick Pompey chances followed as Raggett couldn't get the final touch from Rafferty's ball across goal and then Bishop nodded a decent opening over from close range, under pressure from Bradbury.

Bishop had half a sight of goal after fine work from sub Christian Saydee but Soutwood gathered and headed over right at the death.

Apart from that there wasn't a great deal of clearcut openings created from Pompey's pressure, on an immensely frustrating afternoon at Whaddon Road.