George Thomason is targeting another unbeaten run after Wanderers missed out on the chance to go back to the top of League One.
The Whites lost for the first time in 12 games at Portsmouth as the home side went six points clear at the head of the table.
Ian Evatt’s men under-performed at Fratton Park but remain in the second automatic spot with a game in hand on Pompey and back-to-back home fixtures to come ahead of Christmas Day.
“We didn't show the best version of ourselves,” admitted midfield man Thomason on the back of just a second away loss of the campaign.
“I think Pompey did throw a lot at us and we know we have a lot more to give. It just hurts that little bit more because it was an opportunity to leapfrog them and go top of the league and really show everyone what we are about as a team.
“It hurts. It's disappointing right now but we will analyse it, look how to get better and improve as a team.
“We've been asked lots of questions as a team this season, and in the past, and always come up with an answer and it's about getting back on another run now and really staking another claim for ourselves.
“There are lots of points to play for, lots of games to be played and no doubt lots of twists and turns along the way. As long as we stay consistent with what we are trying to do and be the best version of ourselves, nine times out of 10, no doubt we won't be far off it.”
Wanderers were unable to inflict only a second league defeat of the season on Portsmouth, who secured a 2-0 win with goals at the end of each half.
The opener would have been avoided had Pompey been penalised for an obvious-looking foul on Randell Williams before winning the decisive corner, while Dion Charles also missed a straight-forward chance to give the Whites the lead.
But Thomason admitted Wanderers then didn’t respond well to mount a fightback on a tough night in front of the television cameras on the south coast.
“It's just like any game when you get beaten, it's tough to take,” Thomason told Wanderers TV. “But tonight, especially with the occasion and the chance for us to go top of the league, I feel as though we ended up letting ourselves down really.
“I think at times in the first half we were brave on the ball and played through the press. There are always big moments in games and goals change games and timings of goals change games.
“We had a couple of chances where it could have been, or should have been, and when they score it's hard to wrestle momentum back. When we came out in the second-half we just didn't do enough. That was the disappointing thing. We didn't take the game by the scruff of the neck and really go after them.”