Pompey Academy finished their Merit League campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Cambridge at Furze Lane. They trailed at the break, but Gabriel Kamavuako slotted home an equaliser after substitute Destiny Ojo had won possession. The hosts were on top by that point, but a deflected finish ensured it was United who departed the south coast with all three points. Lead professional development phase coach Sam Hudson said: “The performance was perhaps typical of an end of season game, but we were still disappointed with it as a whole. “The manner of the goals we conceded was frustrating, as was the intensity we showed when defending. “We certainly lacked some of our core values in the first half – pride, passion and honesty – so the result was probably deserved because of that. “It was really poor from us for almost the entirety of the first half – and that was both with and without the ball. “Our levels rose after the break and there was an improved attacking display, while we found some nice combinations and more purpose in our passing. “All of a sudden we looked like a completely different team and were winning the ball in midfield a lot more. “We deservedly equalised after a good press from Destiny, backed up by Jamie Howell and Luke Staight, and were in a good place. “But Cambridge scored again from an unfortunate deflection and that knocked the wind out of us. We couldn’t recover from that. “The league campaign is over for us, although we have got one more friendly to play next week before the lads have a break. “So we’re looking for those core values to be evidenced from the very first whistle and not just in one half.” Pompey: Bastian Smith; Brian Quarm, Howard, Jack Fox, Harvey Laidlaw; Mitch Aston; Dan Murray (Staight 73), Gabriel Kamavuako; Kobi Mottoh (Maxwell Hurst 46); Jamie Howell, Sam Folarin (Destiny Ojo 68)
