Pompey character praised after Morecambe fightback

Gary Roberts scored twice as 10-man Pompey earned a point after falling 3-0 behind to visitors Morecambe Picture: Joe Pepler

But the Blues were warned they will be punished for ‘disrespecting’ their opponents after the first-half horror show at Fratton Park.

Paul Cook’s side fell 3-0 down in 38 minutes as they were taken apart on the counter by the Shrimps.

But Gary Roberts pulled a goal back before the break, added a second and then Jayden Stockley levelled the game deep in stoppage time.

First-team coach, Ian Foster, took heart from the fightback but told his team’s players they cannot let their standards slip – as was the case for much of the afternoon.

Foster said: ‘The first half wasn’t a Paul Cook side.

‘We were sloppy in possession and laboured out of possession.

‘If you disrespect your opponents you get punished.

‘We could have been five down after 38 minutes.

‘But Gary has got us back in the game and we knew we couldn’t be as bad.

‘We showed great character, kept going for 96 minutes and got our reward.’