Portsmouth Manager Paul Cook was left to rue the naivety of his Portsmouth side as the club threw away the opportunity to move into the automatic promotion places in League 2 after defeat at Leyton Orient.
Third placed Northampton Town’s match at York City was postponed as a result of a waterlogged pitch earlier in day, giving Pompey the opportunity to move into third place on goal difference with victory at Brisbane Road.
Portsmouth made a quick start to the match when Gareth Evans opened the scoring in the 4th minute but Pompey squandered their lead when Jay Simpson and Ollie Palmer scored for The O’s either side of an Adam Webster sending off.
The second half saw the home side also reduced to 10 men when Orient centre half Matthieu Baudry was dismissed before Palmer put the home side 3-1 up. Gareth Evans pulled a goal back for Portsmouth mid way through the second half but it proved to be not enough to rescue any points for Paul Cook’s side.
After last week’s excellent late victory at fellow promotion chasers Northampton Town, Paul Cook was understandably disappointed by the defeat at Orient as Portsmouth once again were left clutching at straws when given the opportunity to move into an automatic promotion place.
Pompey host managerless Luton Town at Fratton Park on Monday.
