Gaffer: Portsmouth were a joy to watch. This team should be in the play-offs - but definitely won't be

So the play-off challenge is still on then!

No, absolutely not. Realistically, finishing in the top 10 is as good as it gets this season, I’m afraid.

I actually think we should have been in the play-offs, but whatever went wrong with Danny Cowley went wrong, that’s life. The squad is there.

We have been a bit unlucky with injuries this season, although Cowley did bring in players who are notorious for getting injured, which feels a bit self-inflicted.

I really wanted him to succeed, but he ended up being here 2-3 games too long. It didn’t feel the players were trying for him.

What do you make of Pompey’s display?

Firstly, Cheltenham are the third-worst team I have seen at Fratton Park this season. The other two are us when we played MK Dons and us when we played Charlton!

You can only beat who you play and Wade Elliott’s side were only bad because we were good.

That first half was as good as we’ve played for quite some time, outstanding, with the one-touch football, the flicks, the first-time passing, we probably should have been 6-0 up at the break.

It was a joy to be there and I supposed it’s to be expected when we eased off a bit at 3-0, while a lot of substitutions were made with Tuesday’s game against Bolton in mind.

Who stood out for you?

Ryan Tunnicliffe just edges Michael Jacobs. I thought Marlon Pack was brilliant for us at the start of the season, but Tunnicliffe was as good as anything we saw from him.

He wanted the ball all the time, no matter where on the pitch. Ronan Curtis is the same, although invariably does something wrong, but when Tunnicliffe had the ball he did something worthwhile.

When John Mousinho brought him into the team, my thoughts were “Are we really at that level now?”. He was not great under Danny Cowley either, he tried to sell him.

Now, providing he maintains this form, I’d like Tunnicliffe to be given a new contract. He’s such a calming presence in midfield – and is proving a lot of people wrong.

You gave Colby Bishop a low mark.

On another day he could have had a hat-trick, but at least he got into those positions – John Marquis never would have.

If Bishop had scored after 35 seconds, I dread to think what the score would have been.

Unfortunately, despite two assists, he was comfortably the worst player in our team on Saturday.

It’s hard to be remotely critical of any of them, but he didn’t take his chances, whereas others upped their game.

Matt Macey – 7

Joe Rafferty – 8

Sean Raggett – 7

Ryley Towler – 7

Connor Ogilvie – 7

Joe Morrell – 8

Ryan Tunnicliffe – 9

Owen Dale – 8

Michael Jacobs – 9

Ronan Curtis – 7

Colby Bishop – 6