Kenny Jackett has said naivety will get found out in League One as he reminds fans his team is a work in progress.
The Pompey boss said there was much to be encouraged about in the performance at Northampton - but the team needed to be smarter and at times more professional if they wanted to make progress at this level.
Jackett told the club website: 'We certainly could have won that game and there certainly wasn’t a lack of application on our part. But there was a touch of naivety about us at times and we need to be more streetwise. We have to learn.
'The third goal summed us up. (Matt) Kennedy runs off to get a drink, it was a poor strike from the keeper, the ball's in our area and all of a sudden we’re 3-1 down. That was a period when we were working hard to get back into the match and you can’t let sides have that numerical advantage, even for a few seconds. It’s unprofessional.
'We had another player running off to get treatment for a bloody nose. If the referee sends you off then that’s fine or you go down — you don’t run off the pitch. So there’s a naivety to us, but on the plus side there’s also plenty of enthusiasm, a good attitude and no lack of ability.
'We created a lot of chances and for us to turn into a consistent winning unit we have to be right up there. It’s a work in progress, but you don’t come up against bad sides in this division and Northampton were good at what they did.'
Jackett added: 'Fair play to Matty because generally he played very well, but we need to show more experience in certain areas. He’s a good player and deliverer of the ball. He has a lot of confidence and I’m pleased with what he’s brought to our side.'
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