Portsmouth 1 Middlesbrough 3: Boro’s triumph added to the debit column at struggling Portsmouth

Administrator Trevor Birch admitted last week that time is running out for Portsmouth to find a buyer, with the Fratton Park outfit struggling to find enough cash to finish their Championship campaign.

“I think any win is a pleasing win in this league,” said Mowbray.

“Every game is tough and in the end it was more of an attritional game. There wasn’t much football played for an hour or so.”

Pompey manager Michael Appleton was left bemoaning referee Trevor Kettle’s decision to award Boro a controversial penalty.

Appleton’s side remained rooted in the bottom three after goals from Barry Robson, Matthew Bates and Marvin Emnes boosted Middlesbrough’s promotion hopes.

Greg Halford converted a Portsmouth penalty after Lukas Jutkiewicz handled to make it 2-1, and Boro had Australian Rhys Williams sent off in stoppage time for a second bookable offence.

But it was Kettle’s decision to penalise Ricardo Rocha for an apparent tug at a Middlesbrough corner that incensed Appleton.

“They don’t get given up and down the country at any level, never mind at this level,” he said. “He’s probably the only one in the stadium that’s seen it. I’ve seen it again. The lad’s actually pulling Ricardo to the ground. Ricardo’s reacted to it but their players don’t even appeal for a penalty.”

Mowbray commented: “I haven’t seen them back but they are two penalties that you might say are contentious, whether it was a tug and whether it was a handball I don’t know.”

Portsmouth: Henderson, Halford, Rocha, Pearce, Ben-Haim, Ward, Mullins, Thorne (Varney 65), Allan, Norris, Futacs (Kitson 65). Unused substitutes: Ashdown, Mokoena, Webster.

Middlesbrough: Steele, Hoyte, Bates, Hines, Bennett, Haroun (Emnes 59), Robson, Rhys Williams, Bailey, Hammill (Arca 88), Jutkiewicz (Main 72). Unused substitutes: Ogbeche, McMahon.

Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).