SAM Long denied his former teammate John Mousinho a winning return to Grenoble Road as Oxford United held Portsmouth to a draw.

After suffering their first defeat under Liam Manning in the 1-0 loss at home to Bolton Wanderers last time out, the U’s went on the attack against Pompey but couldn’t find a way through in the second half.

It means United extended their winless run to 15 Sky Bet League One games.

Marlon Pack, a player highlighted by Mousinho as a summer target for the U’s, opened the scoring with a sensational free kick, before Long equalised with a clever header at the near post.

Manning made two changes to the side which lost against Bolton as Tyler Goodrham and Gatlin O’Donkor replaced Brandon Fleming and Josh Murphy, with the latter not involved in the matchday squad at all.

Billy Bodin returned to the bench having been out with a hamstring complaint suffered in the 1-0 defeat at home to Shrewsbury Town on February 4.

The U’s started the game the better, forcing the issue and pressing high against their opponents.

With sixty seconds still not on the clock, Marcus Browne ran into space and blazed a 35-yard effort high over Matt Macey’s goal.

Space again opened up for Browne, but he couldn’t find O’Donkor with his through ball, before Ryan Tunnicliffe got a shot away at the other end after the ball bobbled around the United box.

With 12 minutes played, Kyle Joseph surged down the left-hand side and found O’Donkor in space, however the teenage striker’s effort deflected wide for a corner, from which Joseph headed wide.

Five minutes later, O’Donkor spurned a great opportunity after Marcus McGuane burst down the right flank and picked him out inside the penalty area.

O’Donkor swivelled but sent his shot wide when, given the space afforded to him, he should’ve hit the target.

Just after the midway point of the first half, Pack opened the scoring with a sublime free kick.

McGuane committed a foul 25 yards out, left of centre and Pack – a summer target for the U’s – bent home a curling free kick into the top right corner.

At the other end, Macey spilled a Cameron Brannagan free kick from a similar area, before the United midfielder saw another dead ball situation deflect out for a corner.

The U’s took the lead when Brannagan sent an inswinging corner onto the head of Long, who from the close side of the six-yard box looped an effort over Macey and into the far corner.

Another Brannagan free kick nicked off the wall for a corner as United continued to assert themselves in the opening period.

The second half began with a slower pace as the only goalmouth action in the first 10 minutes saw the U’s scramble a Pompey corner off the line.

Elliott Moore then nodded comfortably wide from a Brannagan corner before an hour was played.

United increased the tempo though as Goodrham floated inside from a short corner and forced Macey into a save at his near post, before Ciaron Brown thundered an effort from range over the goalkeeper’s bar.

Two opportunities fell the way of the U’s within a minute when O’Donkor headed narrowly wide from a sensational Long cross and Browne hammered a left-footed shot over after weaving his way into the penalty box.

United’s first change came with 14 minutes to go when Yanic Wildschut replaced Joseph in a like for like change down the left channel.

Seven minutes later, Djavan Anderson replaced Goodrham and Bodin marked his return from injury as he came on for O’Donkor.

Bodin was involved immediately as Browne teed him up on edge of the box, but his sidefooted effort sailed over Macey’s bar.

A frantic end to the game failed to yield a winner as Manning’s search for his first three points now moves to Barnsley away on Saturday.

Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Eastwood; Long, Moore, Findlay, Brown; Brannagan, McGuane; Goodrham (Anderson 83), Browne, Joseph (Wildschut 76); O’Donkor (Bodin 83).

Unused subs: McGinty, Fleming, Smyth, Smith.

Booked: Brannagan.

Portsmouth (4-3-3): Macey; Rafferty, Raggett, Bernard, Ogilvie; Tunnicliffe (Thompson 70), Pack, Lowery (Pigott 90); Lane (Dale 62), Bishop, Jacobs (Hackett 70).

Unused subs: Oluwayemi, Robertson, Scarlett.

Booked: Lane, Bernard, Lowery, Raggett, Rafferty, Thompson.

Referee: Declan Bourne (Nottinghamshire)

Attendance: 8,345 (1,460 visitors)