A MISSED penalty from Nile Ranger proved costly as Southend United slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Portsmouth afternoon.

The Shrimpers striker fired his spot-kick over the crossbar on the stroke of half-time.

And Portsmouth took full of advantage with their in-form forward Brett Pitman bagging his 12th goal of the season to condemn Blues to their first League defeat in November since 2009.

Southend had also not been beaten by the Hampshire side since 1997 but the hosts came close to taking an early lead when Matt Clarke’s left wing cross found Pitman but he was unable to make a clean connection with the ball and his scuffed effort went just past the left post.

After surviving the scare, Southend soon replied and came close to breaking the deadlock in the 19th minute when a curling left footed shot from Theo Robinson was tipped wide of the left post by Portsmouth goalkeeper Luke McGee.

Moments later, Ranger stabbed a close range effort wide of the same upright following a goalmouth scramble before Michael Kightly’s left wing corner was nodded over at the near post by Simon Cox.

Ryan Leonard then saw a low, long range volley smothered by McGee before Blues came even closer to scoring when Kightly’s free-kick was met by the head of Michael Turner who teed up Cox for a volley which thundered back off the right post.

The resulting rebound fell to the advancing John White and his well-struck half volley was blocked by Christian Burgess in a way which saw the assistant referee advising referee Carl Boyeson to point to the spot.

But, with Cox having missed his last two penalties, Ranger took over the responsibilities – only to send a horrific effort over the crossbar after appearing to slip in closing action of the first half.

However, a relieved Portsmouth hit back at the start of the second half and opened the scoring in the 54th minute when a fine left wing cross from Matty Kennedy was intelligently headed into the bottom right hand corner of the net by Pitman.

Blues responded with Cox having a low, left foot shot blocked in front of goal before Shrimpers boss Phil Brown made his first change of the afternoon in the 63rd minute with Stephen McLaughlin replacing Ranger.

A second change soon followed with Marc-Antoine Fortune taking the place of Robinson before Jermaine McGlashan came on for White but Blues rarely threatened as Portsmouth comfortably held on to secure a third successive win.