Bailey's best and a first half to remember

[BBC Sport] Odin Bailey made a second successive start for Portsmouth, for the first time since signing from Stockport [Getty Images] Saturday was not a game too far for Pompey after a six-match unbeaten run. Instead, they were undone by two mistakes against a strong Stoke side who pounced to punish. Tuesday's first-half performance against Swansea City at the time felt like the best of the season so far. Saturday afternoon went one better for me. I felt we went in at the break at least a goal light after a fantastic opening 45. Odin Bailey had his best game in a Pompey shirt and came close to scoring a classic solo goal. Pompey continued our new-found high press, high tempo, suffocation football for large spells at Fratton Park which in turn prompted a response from the crowd. As Mousinho said at full-time, frustratingly, a second-half clean sheet wins that game for his side. Contextualised, we have played some former Premier League teams alongside strong Championship sides and come away with a productive points tally in the past three weeks. Although an away side turning around a one-goal deficit at Fratton Park will be tough to dwell on during the international break, there is so much for Pompey to take on with them when club football resumes. Twenty-two points from our opening 15 games, so just short of a third of the way through. There are many seasons recently where we would have treated that as a luxury. It is a points return that is the positive reflection of the level Pompey are competing at. Find more from Tom at the Fournilwrittenalloverit YouTube channel Latest Portsmouth news, analysis and fan views