GRAHAM RIX found himself under even more pressure after Portsmouth slumped to their biggest defeat of the season, losing 4-2 to Crewe at Fratton Park.

The Pompey boss watched in amazement as his side were demolished by a team stuck in the bottom six of the First Division and had scored only 20 goals in their previous 22 games.

It was the second defeat in a row at Fratton Park and their sixth of home reversal of the season.

There were chances for Portsmouth to take the game but their defending was poor enough to ensure they got what deserved - nothing.

An angry Rix said: "I am fed up of giving teams a goal start and we gave Crewe two and no matter who you are playing against you can't afford to do that.

"To be fair second half we tried and created lots of chances.

"Our first goal was scored at a good time and gave us hope. And then in the second half, despite dominating, they had two chances and stuck them in the net.

"We have to defend better and it isn't the first time I have said that.

"We shouldn't be conceding goals from set-pieces. I don't know what it's down to - a lack of knowledge, positional play, determination, I don't know how to put my finger on it.

"We are working hard in training to try and eradicate these errors but we have to work harder.

"And it is not just the back three, a big disappointment for me was in the first half we played a certain way to try and stop them playing and the lads were told to play a certain way and didn't do it.

"To score two goals at home and have the chances we had and get nothing out the game is very disappointing."

Portsmouth's goals were both well taken with Steve Lovell, called up to take his place in a new 4-3-3 formation, producing a superb overhead kick two minutes before half-time, and Peter Crouch neatly steering home at the near post for an 81st minute consolation.

Crewe's goals were a tale of soppy, sad and pathetic defending with Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, the club record signing, looking culpable for al least two of them.

The first two came from free-kicks with Rob Hulse and Efe Sodje finding themselves in acres of space in the area and heading home comfortably with Kawaguchi flailing about in no-mans land.

In the second period Pompey started to dominate much more but a 64th minute Phil Charnock 20-yard thunderbolt and a Kenny Lunt chip after Kawaguchi had denied Steve Foster were more than enough for sorry Pompey.

Thursday's match at Millwall could now be a vital one in Rix's career at Fratton Park.