Curle critical of 'basic' mistakes from Cobblers defenders in Pompey loss

Keith Curle was again critical of the 'basic' mistakes made by his defenders during their 4-0 defeat to Portsmouth on Tuesday.

Town were going well and had been the better team when the wheels fell off after 38 minutes. Ryan Williams was allowed too much room to shoot and John Marquis reacted quickest to convert the rebound to break the deadlock.

Ronan Curtis then had a free header and again Marquis was more alert to the loose ball for Pompey's second before Curtis and Marcus Harness completed Town's misery.

The Cobblers now have the worst goal difference in League One at -11 and no team has conceded more than their 18 goals. They also remain without a clean sheet in nine league games.

"In the first-half I thought we had a good foundation and a good platform to build on and be creative whilst also making sure we had a defensive unit that looked solid," said Curle.

"But the goals are disappointing because it's just basics. I've had a chance to look at them again and when you break it down, you're thinking it's just too easy and it's just people running off defenders and getting in behind us. The second goal after half-time, it comes from when we have possession of the ball and we're running with it.

"Another one is from a throw-in and somebody not getting goalside and not staying with their man and them getting to the byline, crossing it in and it's a goal. The third goal is a good finish and good technique."

By contrast, Town fluffed their lines at the other end with Ryan Watson and Ricky Korboa missing clear-cut chances.

"We had three good chances ourselves but only hit the target once and didn't score any of them, " added Curle. "Ryan will be disappointed not to hit the target. If the goalkeeper pulls off a save, at least you've done your job by hitting the target, and Ryan knows goals change games.

"Portsmouth is a difficult place to go to and previously their results at home haven't been what they probably would expect, and the two best opportunities of the first-half fell to us and 2-0 would have been a different story."