THE MORNING AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE

Fair play to the 800+ fans who went to York yesterday and witnessed probably our worst performance of the campaign.

I expect York's fans are frustrated too, as more displays like last night's would have seen them safe instead of facing non-league football next season.

Yet, too many Pompey fans are calling for Paul Cook's head for my liking.

When the gaffer arrived, he put his own stamp on the team. Several players were released, some controversially, but the new arrivals certainly had a stamp of quality about them and early signs were promising.

Since then frustration has crept in and some late lapses, plus poor performances, have left us several points off where fans feel we should be.

Yes, we have been consistent in our inconsistency and have failed to deliver in certain key games, but where were we in the table before Paul Cook arrived? Were we challenging for a play-off, never mind automatic promotion, spot?

Just because we are Pompey does not confer a God-given right that we should go up. The best supported club in the division we most certainly are, but it is not the number of fans in ours or someone else's ground that wins points.

Games and performances like yesterday's do leave me and all committed Pompey fans frustrated, as we know just how good this side can be.

Keeping our discipline and focus has been an issue all season. The number of games that we have lost or drawn due to conceding late goals would be laughable, until you realise how many points it has cost us.

Despite this, we are still only four points away from securing a play-off place and a win over Wycombe this weekend may well see us over that line.

I am as certain as ever that Paul Cook is the right manager to take us forward, and that we can trust in him to deliver the promotion that this club so desperately wants.

Whether we get up via the play-offs this season or top three next season, it will be worth keeping the faith with a good manager who has taken us to the brink of promotion and will not stop trying to deliver consistent results and performances.

After all, Rome wasn't built in a day.

(Written by Alison Perkins, 20th April 2016)