Tis: "We could have won".

Following a 1-0 loss to Portsmouth at Fratton Park, Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale felt that the result could have just as easily been reversed based on the balance of play.

An exciting, open and entertaining game of football saw presentable chances at both ends – Josh Passley and James Dunne struck the woodwork either side of half-time for the hosts, and Arron Davies saw an effort bounce off Paul Jones’ crossbar late in the game.

Jed Wallace had blazed a penalty over the bar midway through the second period when Matt Tubbs was brought down in the box by Christian Ribeiro, but the Pompey man made amends with a stoppage-time winner.

While disappointed with the defeat, Tis felt that playing an end-to-end kind of game was their best chance of getting the win – and that it was ever so close to falling their way.

“We gave ourselves a chance to win it,” he explained. “From the 15th minute onwards we made changes and opened it up, so it was an open game from then.

“That’s what we had considered to be our best chance of getting a result, to open it up and play our game through the middle of the pitch.

“I thought we played really well – they gave it a go as well and it really was either team that could have scored. We gave ourselves a really good chance.

“A fair result on reflection would have been a draw, but we were as likely to win it as lose it and that’s what we gave ourselves the opportunity to do. Three points is more important to us that the one, and we tried to do that.

“We’re disappointed but I’m really pleased with the way that that players played. The supporters were brilliant and it was a great game of football, and it’s a shame we lost.”