Source: SKY_Sports
Hart laments worst display
Paul Hart believes Portsmouth's 2-0 defeat at Blackburn Rovers was a 'timely reminder' that the club are not yet safe from relegation.
Morten Gamst Pedersen and Benni McCarthy condemned Pompey to the defeat as John Utaka also missed a late penalty for the visitors.
The result leaves Portsmouth seven points outside of the bottom three and likely to be playing Premier League football again next season.
However, Hart was unhappy with the performance and is eager for his players to make certain of survival in the final two games.
"I've been saying that forever," said Hart when asked if Pompey need more points. "It's in our hands and we want to make it mathematically safe as soon as possible."
On whether his players had eased up, Hart replied: "Well I think if they did, and I'm not saying they are, today was a timely reminder in this division that you can't take your foot off the pedal."
Hart acknowledged the performance was the worst Portsmouth had produced since he took over from Tony Adams back in February.
He commented: "It was by far the worst performance we've had since February. We've not looked anything like that, so that's disappointing.
"We made the substitutions and then the penalty was awarded straight away, so that knocked us back.
"We could have actually come away with something, but we've been creating lots of chances in games recently, but not finishing them off."
Pompey looked a bigger threat following the introductions of Kanu, Utaka and Jermaine Pennant, but Hart defended his decision to start with a 4-5-1 system.
"We've been playing this way for two-and-a-half months and it's got us out of it," said Hart.
"We were, I think, just outside the relegation zone on goal difference and we've got to this position through sheer hard work and organisation, and everybody working together.
"If you look at the goals we gave away, they never carved us open or moved us around. They weren't goals like that.
"I think it would be churlish of me to say really that I regret not doing it because we've been red hot really in the last couple of months."
