At around the same time as 206 Signal Squadron filed past the home team’s dressing-room, minutes after the final whistle, Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager, delivered a sobering lesson on the value of accurate shooting and patience in attack. Unless the Wearsiders learn to take their chances and, more importantly, remain onside at critical moments, this will be another season spent fighting for survival.

Unfortunately, the members of 3 (UK) Div HQ & Signals Regiment, who formed an impressive guard of honour before kick-off as Sunderland supported the Remembrance Day commemorations, were denied a charity windfall as a result of their hosts’ inexplicable profligacy.

Tipping Djibril Cissé to score first and Keane’s team to win 3-0, the soldiers looked on course for a healthy payout when the former Liverpool player opened the scoring after four minutes. However, a series of misses and two second-half Portsmouth goals ruined the bet.

“Every game is a big battle,” Keane said after three successive Premier League defeats. “Djibril has been a big plus for us, but we need more from the whole squad. We learnt a lesson against Portsmouth.”

El-Hadji Diouf, the Sunderland forward on as a substitute, was taught the harshest lesson as he tripped Glen Johnson in injury time to concede a needless penalty. Jermain Defoe, the England forward, duly dispatched the spot-kick for his ninth goal of the season after Nadir Belhadj, the Algeria midfield player, had cancelled out Cissé’s goal .

Defoe is the sort of player Keane requires. Many see the former Tottenham Hotspur forward’s future away from Fratton Park. Not so, says Defoe. “Harry [Redknapp] brought me to Portsmouth and I was with him at West Ham. It’s only normal that people are going to suggest I’m going to Spurs because Harry is there,” Defoe said.

“But I have a message for the Portsmouth fans. I’m a Portsmouth player and I will continue working hard for the club. I’m enjoying my time here. And anyway, Tony [Adams, the manager] is trying to build something here.”

Sunderland (4-4-2): M Fulop 5 – P Bardsley 4, A Ferdinand 6, N Nosworthy 5, D Collins 5 – S Malbranque 7 (sub: G Leadbitter, 80min), D Whitehead 6, K Richardson 7, A Reid 6 (sub: D Healy, 80) – D Cissé 7, D Murphy 4 (sub: E-H Diouf, 46). Substitutes not used: N Colgan, T Tainio, L Miller, J Henderson. Booked: Collins, Whitehead. Next: Blackburn Rovers (h)

Portsmouth (4-4-2): D James 8 – G Johnson 7, S Campbell 6, S Distin 6, N Pamarot 6 – N Belhadj 8, S Davis 6, L Diarra 7, N Kranjcar 6 (sub: J Utaka, 75) – J Defoe 8 (sub: R Hughes, 90), P Crouch 5 (sub: Kanu, 69). Substitutes not used: J Ashdown, Y Kaboul, P Bouba Diop, A Traoré. Booked: Diarra. Next: West Ham United (a)

Referee S Bennett Attendance 37,712