Appy rues Pompey's poor start

The Blues were up against it from the off at Brunton Park as the hosts blasted out of the blocks, eager to respond from their 3-0 home loss to Tranmere in midweek.

Pompey went behind on 13 minutes when an unmarked Jake Jervis nodded home.

And the visitors were left with a mountain to climb after Danny Livesey took advantage of more poor defending to make it 2-0 shortly after the break.

The Blues showed plenty of spirit late on, despite seeing Kevin Long sent off for a second booking, to make for a frantic finish.

But Appleton was left to rue their poor opening as he men suffered their first loss of the League One campaign.

The Pompey manager said: ‘We didn’t start the game well enough. It didn’t get much better after that.

‘We started the second half in the same vein after saying all the right things after half-time.

‘Then it was just too little, too late. All four goals were preventable.’