Kiely hits back at snipers

Dean Kiely has hit back at critics who have underplayed Portsmouth's run.

Dean Kiely was pleased with the warm reception he received from the Charlton Athletic fans when returning with Portsmouth on Easter Monday.

The keeper was a favourite at The Valley and the home crowd afforded him a good round of applause before he was beaten twice in Portsmouth's 2-1 defeat.

Kiely took the opportunity after the game to hit back at critics who have said Pompey's fine run has been helped by their opponents, such as West Ham and Middlesbrough, not being totally focused on the league.

"It was good, spectacular," he said of the fans' response. "I'm really, really pleased.

"All week long, I've got close friends here and they said they thought I'd get a good reception. I thought I'd like to think so and it was a great reception.

"I was pleased with that and it was great to see the lads again.

"I made good friends here - beyond that, it's just another Premiership fixture - that's the way we had to go about it really."

Kiely paid tribute to his team-mates for their impressive recent run but felt Pompey were unlucky not to pick anything up from The Valley after leading for a long period of the game.

"It's tough to take," he informed Sky Sports. "We got our noses in front, started well and took the lead.

"I thought we were comfortable and had everything under control.

"This year, Charlton have been the Darren Bent show. He's scored many, many goals and got in behind us to set up the first and then scored himself.

"We feel we've let it slip, certainly a point, but we've got to go again and have got to respond to the defeat.

"We deserve a lot of credit," he insisted. "I've heard all about West Ham put out a weakened side and Middlesbrough this and that, but we put six games together in a short space of time.

"It's not by default, it's totally deserving and we need to get something on Saturday."

Sunderland, who are already relegated, provide the opposition at Fratton Park at the weekend.