Awford pleased by performance

Andy Awford admitted Portsmouth were lucky to hold on for a point after York striker Ryan Brunt missed a stoppage-time sitter.

Brunt, making his debut for the Minstermen following a loan move from Bristol Rovers, leapt unchallenged four yards from goal in the final seconds at Bootham Crescent but, somehow, headed wide. His miss meant fourth-bottom York are still without a home win this season, while Pompey have also gone four matches without netting on the road. Awford said: "They've had a couple of chances, but so have we. We had the more clear-cut chances, but they've missed an absolute sitter at the end - but that's the good fortune we needed. "I was absolutely delighted with the performance, I thought we were really good. "We controlled the game for long spells and we saw off any spell of pressure they threw at us. We're just missing that goal, and, when we get one, we'll probably go on and get two or three. "Someone is going to get a tonking one of these days, they really are. The amount of chances we're creating in games makes it frustrating that we can't take one or two of them. "But as long as we continue to play that way, nobody can grumble. We need one of those horrible goals, just one where it goes in off the backside of someone - that's what it might take." Portsmouth's best chance to take maximum points came on 87 minutes when Jed Wallace burst onto an Alex Wynter pass but home keeper Michael Ingham kept out the 20-year-old midfielder's low drive at his near post. Brunt, though, squandered his opportunity to end a personal goal drought now stretching to 26 games. The former Stoke City reserve missed the target with the goal at his mercy after centre-back John McCombe had headed back Lindon Meikle's cross from the right wing. Home manager Nigel Worthington was, however, encouraged by his team's display and had nothing but praise for Brunt. He said: "I was very pleased with our performance. That was us getting back to how we should be playing. "In the first half, the ball was a bit like a hot potato and losing Michael Coulson and Wes Fletcher to injury threw a bit of a spanner into the works but you have to rise to such challenges and I thought we did in the second half. We pushed them back and created a lot more. "Both teams could have probably won it and the big man's header would have capped a perfect debut because I thought he was outstanding for us. He got hold of the ball and was very strong. "He was a handful for them and didn't let them win any free headers. He also took up some very intelligent positions for a young man." Breaking news, transfer gossip, line ups and goal alerts from your football club - delivered direct to your mobile. Sign up for Sky Sports Alerts