Town boss Roy Keane felt a draw was a fair result after the 0-0 draw at Portsmouth, despite his team not being in top form. Keane thought his side had the better chances, citing Darren O’Dea’s first half opportunity as the game’s best.

Keane said: “I think a draw was a fair result. Credit to Portsmouth, Márton made some good saves, Gareth got some good blocks in, but in terms of the best chance it fell to Darren O’Dea. We’ve hit the post [through David Norris] as well.

“I don’t think we were at our best today, but we were solid and I think a draw was probably a fair result even though we had the better of the chances.”

Keeper Fülöp made one outstanding save from David Nugent in the second half, but his manager says that’s all in a day’s work for the Hungarian: “He’s on a decent pay packet, that’s why we brought him in - to make saves. I’m sure if you ask Márton he’ll be pleased with the clean sheet.”

The Blues boss says he wasn’t planning on Mark Kennedy, out since the opening day with a hamstring injury, returning to first team action quite so soon: “I didn’t really want to bring Kennedy on but Darren O’Dea was limping before half-time. He got a knock on his knee from the chance that he missed.

“It’s no bad thing when I can bring on players like Connor Wickham, Colin Healy and Mark Kennedy. It was a big plus for us them getting 20 or 25 minutes under their belts because we’ve got a lot of games coming up and we need all those players.”

Keane confirmed that Darren O’Dea is a doubt ahead of Tuesday’s home game with league leaders QPR.

Portsmouth manager Steve Cotterill thought his side ought to have won: “I think we deserved to win it today and I haven’t been able to say that before this season.

“If their goalkeeper’s not 6ft 5in tall he gets nowhere near David Nugent’s shot and we’ve had Dave Kitson just go over the bar, Michael Brown just go over the bar as well.

“I think it’s definitely a game we deserved to win. It would be a close game, a 1-0 or a 4-3 or a 3-2 because they had their chances too.

“Ipswich have gone away and won their two previous games and I think Roy will be quietly happy with a point today.

“That’s what you do, you say it’s a fair result when you go away and get a draw, but I think we just about shaded it today.”

Elsewhere, reports in the Midlands are again linking West Brom pair Luke Moore and Joe Mattock with loan moves to Portman Road. The left-back seems a very unlikely target with Darren O'Dea involved today, although aggravating his previous knock, and Mark Kennedy back after his hamstring injury.

Photo: Action Images

JetaimePeters added 18:07 - Sep 11 A great result! Onwards and upwards!
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siebdykstra added 18:15 - Sep 11 A good result, against a much changed and improved Pompey. Nugent and Kitson are proven strikers at this level, and to keep a clean sheet is a good thing. Shame we couldn't score, but very encouraging to see Wickham back for a bit of match sharpness. Another couple of sub appearances and a game or two for the reserves will see him back to 100% within a two or three weeks, then he will prove why he's worth a lot of money. Still unbeaten, lets keep it going, get a couple of decent loans in, particularly the ginger wonder, and we should be able to stay in the top six. A vast improvement on last season and looking forward to the next few months. COYB!

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martleshamitfc added 19:03 - Sep 11 The signs are good , just a couple of decent loans and we will have a great team, very promising. The championship will be very close this season, so these type of away draws will be valuable at the end of the season. We would have lost this game last season.
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jas0999 added 19:25 - Sep 11 We are now in to September - no loses to date. Four away wins (two cup) and a draw. Three clean sheets in a row. Encouraging. A point away from home against anyone is good.
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SurreyITFC added 19:29 - Sep 11 Another point & Another hard game. Great to see some injured players back. All in All a great unbeaten start to the season. Now for 2 difficult but winable home games. COYB
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TractorBeezer added 19:59 - Sep 11 I'll settle flor the point. A terrific start to the season woth lots to look forward to when everyone evryone fully fit and Townsend back plus a couple of loanees. Well done Keano and the lads UP THE TRACTOR BOYS
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Frase1987 added 20:43 - Sep 11 Nugent and Kitson are top championship players, portsmouth will shoot back up.
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blackheath_blue added 20:44 - Sep 11 Definitely a good point there - the good start continues and it seems as though we've developed a great spirit in the club which, as Keane-doubter for the first half of last season, I've to praise him for - he's got the dressing room working for him. I loved Cotterill's comments - effectively saying that they would have won it if Fulop wasn't so tall...bizarre.

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kipper added 21:00 - Sep 11 Have to agree with Keane's comments. Pleased with a draw as they had the better chances although we came closest to scoring with Norris hitting the post and Ashdown just pushing Leadbitter's shot past the post. Great travelling support once again even if the away end at Fratton is like stepping back into the 1970's. Good to see Connor back and hopefully with a couple of more outings he will be back to his best. Strong looking squad now, one or two loanees and could be a very good season.

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Bergholtblue added 21:07 - Sep 11 A good result. Portsmouth are in a false position. With Kanu, Nugent and Kitson they had a front line that had plenty of guile and movement and caused our defence problems. A lot of steel and resolve in the centre of the pitch for us now but still lacking in that creative player. The forwards were living off scraps. Wickham coming on gave us a lift. Although I would have ledft Priskin on and taken off Scotland. A fantastic bring down, turn and run by Connor. He will be a force this season. Two brilliant saves by Fulop. This is a game we would have lost this time last year. Nice to see that they have put a roof over the away supporters since I was last there. Still a crap ground though.

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truebluesince1992 added 22:25 - Sep 11 a good game i was happy with a point in the end portsmouth will shoot up that league soon. big game tuesday night up the town
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charlieITFChavard added 00:42 - Sep 12 I was happy with the performance, i thought Priskin played quite well, my criticism's are that we kept giving the ball away and we kept hitting it in the air to much. Also why were the section six boys quiet in the second half, thats when we needed to be at our loudest.
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GiveusaWave added 01:23 - Sep 12 Priskin and Fulop had excellent games- but you are right,- we kept it in the air too much. Think we still lack a bit of creativity which someone like Colback would give us. A back-up right back would come in handy too. Some of the other squads have strengthened considerably and we could do with a couple of new signings too...
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Back_The_Boss added 06:45 - Sep 12 One of the best 0-0 matches I have ever seen. Good to see a lot of Town fans there. COYB!
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brockleyblueboy added 08:05 - Sep 12 Well done lads, clean sheet and sounds like we were unlucky. We need to pull out all the stops for Tuesday night, QPR are on a hell of a run and with Warnock at the helm will be a very tough test. However we can't be too tough on the Blues if and that is a big IF we lose. I am sure the anti-keane lads are licking their lips and already have their posts on here planned. Letskeep them silent :-) One negative though, why didn't we go for Liam Lawrence? He is quality and by the sounds of it we created not a lot but had the strikers, Pompey created a lot and their strikers were duffers. Bit gutted about that but hey that is life. COME ON YOU BLUES AND BRING ON TUESDAY NIGHT

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Keaneish added 09:00 - Sep 12 Yep a good point today and happy with a clean sheet. McCauley was outstanding today and a special mention for Leadbitter who worked tirelessly in the midfield getting peoples heads down and forcing errors, superb. Massive week coming up, a good start. Come on the Town.
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paul73 added 12:52 - Sep 12 A fair result,a game we would have lost last season...wickhams piece of skill on the touchline worth the entrance fee alone...Town look so solid at the back,fulop made 2 great saves...over all look a tough outfit to beat....another great following by town which lifted the attendence...6pts in next 2 games would be great,thou settle for 4...c.o.y.b
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Guthrum added 17:40 - Sep 12 Could have been a nasty banana skin, a resurgent Portsmouth having got some good players in. I was concerned we would lose, thus, for me, 0 - 0 is a good result. And Town are still unbeaten!
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devontractorboy added 18:35 - Sep 12 Priskin had an excellent game............I was obviously somewhere else yesterday as I thought he was very poor and that was why he was taken off???? A fair result though, could have gone either way, we still need a natural goalscorer, impressed with Scotlands touches but he looks short of fitness and tired visably towards the end. Fulop was our MOM for me some excellent saves and he can hold onto the ball wothout spilling it ...excellent!! Onwards and upwards...hope we get a couple of loans in next week.

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Ipswich24 added 19:31 - Sep 12 After looking at all the comments and listening to the commentary on the radio I say we need to more players an attacking midfielder/striker and a right back why don't we get naughton from spurs or steve finnan he is on a free I believe also let's go for kakuta from chelsea on loan would be new gio for us go on keane make an enquiry am delighted with the start let's keep it up but we do need two more players

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Ipswich24 added 19:33 - Sep 12 After looking at all the comments and listening to the commentary on the radio I say we need to more players an attacking midfielder/striker and a right back why don't we get naughton from spurs or steve finnan he is on a free I believe also let's go for kakuta from chelsea on loan would be new gio for us go on keane make an enquiry am delighted with the start let's keep it up but we do need two more players

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dirtydingusmagee added 20:03 - Sep 12 not sure what i really expected from this game !, but will take the point, i thought Fulop was busier keeper,and was in good form, really like the way Hyam is coming on .Pleased to get Scotland in team but just wish we could really stuff a team to get the killer instinct going,still worried about goals coming .Two reAl tough games coming up this week, could show if we can really cut it . COYB .

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StowTractorBoy added 22:03 - Sep 12 DevonTractorBoy I was at the same game as you and I agree Priskin was average at best. I so want him to do well but he flatters to deceive. Once Wickham is fully fit I think it will be at the expense of Priskin especially as Townsend can come in on the left of midfield. Will settle for 4 points from the next two games but will not be too critical if we get less as the boys have been giving there all in every match so far - the worry is that they will run out of steam hence we need a couple more new faces. I see McPhail started for Cardiff yesterday so wonder if that deal is now dead.

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Acen added 22:06 - Sep 12 good result
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gazza3967 added 12:48 - Sep 13 Fair result. Two fantastic saves from Fulop and some great defending blocks from McCauley.Wickham looked good when he came on. Norris unlucky not to score.onwards and upwards i hope. Fratton park what a dump. No beer, no burgers- all sold out by half time. Toilets under water, But what fantastic support by travelling fans.
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