Manager Dean Keates has urged his players to become more clinical in front of goal as the Saddlers failed to score on the road for the fourth straight game on Tuesday night.
In a game that wasn’t littered with chances for his side, the ones that they did have, Keates knows that the team need to start being more ruthless if they are to stay within touching distance of the play-offs.
Goals either side of the break from Oli Hawkins and Ronan Curtis were enough to keep Portsmouth at the top of League One, but the home side were far from flattering in a game that was dominated by the Saddlers.
“We were frustrated with the goals that we conceded,” said Keates. “They took their chances and that is why they are top of the league.
“The first goal, it loops up off a deflection and that is when you need a little bit of luck.
“We have got to the point now where I keep saying that they need to keep learning and developing as players but it has got to start sinking in now.
“Football is all about moments.
“In the clinical moments, we weren’t clinical enough.
“At the start of the second half, Josh Ginnelly has a great chance but he puts it over.
“A few minutes later we have a corner and it doesn’t go to plan and 20 seconds passes by and it ends up in the back of our net. As I have said, we have got to be better, it has to start sinking in.
“Would I say that we have been beaten by opposition? No.
“Other than the Burton game in the first half, we just aren’t helping ourselves. We are shipping goals at the moment and they are coming from our mistakes.
“We aren’t giving ourselves a chance to win the football match.
“You can’t be expected to go and score three goals every game.
“When you aren’t being clinical in the oppositions 18-yard box and you are shipping goals at the other end, you give yourself an uphill task straight away.”