Blues centre-half Richard Keogh felt Portsmouth’s first goal changed last night’s Papa Johns Trophy tie at Portman Road, which the visitors went on to win 2-0.
On-loan Tottenham youngster Dane Scarlett made the most of Town errors and slips to give Pompey the lead in the 43rd minute with Zak Swanson adding the second on the break in the game’s final seconds.
"I think when you lose any game you’re obviously going to be frustrated,” Keogh said. "But I thought we actually played pretty well in the game really, created a lot of good chances and I think if we get the first goal it’s a very different game.
"We didn’t quite take our chances and then the goal changed the game and gave them something to hold on to.
"They got a lot of men behind the ball and they’re a really organised team and in the second half it was just us trying to find that goal.
"And when you’re trying to force the game, you’re going to give up a few counter-attacks and they’re good on the counter-attack.
"Overall, I thought it was a frustrating night but apart from maybe the last five minutes of the first half when we became a little bit ragged and they created a few chances through our mistakes, we tried everything to score.”
Reflecting on the tournament as a whole for Town this season, Keogh, who started all four of the Blues’ ties, reflected: "I think the competition’s good for a lot of reasons. We’ve a good squad, a really competitive squad, I think we made seven changes tonight and for people like myself it’s good to get minutes and try and find that rhythm of playing games.
"When you’re in the rhythm of playing, there’s nothing better than playing. It’s good to get 90 minutes and there’s obviously going to be a little bit of rust now and again for lads who are not quite in the rhythm, which is why these games are really good.
"You can feel your way in and I thought the lads performed well and on another day we could have scored a few goals. But fair play to them, they defended well and it was frustrating.
"Now the most important thing for us is the league, I think that’s clear. We’ll shift our focus to the FA Cup [at home to Buxton on Sunday], we want to get through in that and to the third round.
"But ultimately we’re in a great position in the league and a lot of players got some good minutes under their belts, which will be important moving forward.”
Like everyone at Portman Road, Keogh hopes last night’s match will prove to be the Blues’ last taste of Papa Johns Trophy football with Town targeting a Championship place next season.
"Exactly, I think the aim is quite clear,” he said. "I think we’re very driven and focused on that being the goal.
"We know it’s not going to be easy. There are going to be a lot of challenges and bumps in the road, but the group has shown that we’re really striving and we’ve got a great mentality.
"The manager gets that into us every day, how it’s not going to be easy, we need to do the hard yards and that’s in training and in the games.
"I think we’re such an honest group, whoever pulls on the shirt works their socks off for the team and for their teammates and I think when you’re doing those basic things, with our quality and the way we play, we’re going to be in most games we play.
"We’re in a really good position, it’s not going to be easy. Hopefully we can get a few lads back from injury over the Christmas period, it’s quite a busy period coming up.
"I think all in all, there were some really good things tonight, obviously some things we need to improve, but that’s like any game you come into. You take the positives from it, you look at the negatives and try and improve them every day in training.
"Ultimately, I like where we’re at as a group, a lot of hard work to go, but we’ll be ready for the challenge.”
The 36-year-old, who joined the Blues from Blackpool in the summer having been a youth player at Playford Road 20 years ago, has now made six starts - one in the league - and four sub appearances for Town.
Quizzed on how much he’s enjoying his football, he added: "Like any player, it’s great to play and I feel like when I’ve played for the club and the team I’ve performed well. We’ve got a lot of competition for places and the lads have been playing really well.
"It’s about keeping yourself right and doing the right things in training and when you get an opportunity, to try and play well and I’m sure there’ll be opportunities for myself in the weeks coming up.
"You’re only a suspension or injury away from potentially being called upon, so I’ll keep training hard, keep performing well, keep trying to help the group in any way I can.
"I feel like I’ve done that, so it’s always nice when I play and I’ll be ready if the manager needs me. He knows that he can call on me and I’ll perform.”