NIGEL Clough said that a late penalty that denied the Brewers victory should no detract from a magnificent performance from his team.
Albion surged into a two-goal lead with strikes from Joe Sbarra and Kieran Wallace before a red card for John O'Toole forced them into a rear guard action for more than an hour.
They appeared to have battled to a brilliant victory but deep into added time Jake Buxton was judged to have pushed over Ellis Harrison in the box and Portsmouth converted the spot kick at the death to make it 2-2.
Clough said: "Strikers are always going to be looking for them in the last minute and there was a little bit of contact from Jake. But I think if you give penalties for that little contact in penalty areas you are going to get five or six a game.
"It was a magnificent effort tonight to get within seconds of getting the three points despite being down to ten men for so long. And coming here tonight, if you had asked us about 2-2 we probably would have taken it."
The game swung on the red card for O'Toole.
Clough said: "We had no problems with the sending off. The first yellow card was right and I think he got the second one right as well."
Before that Sbarra had grabbed his first-ever Brewers goal to give Albion a three minute lead.
Clough said: "Joe has got his first goal for us and we are absolutely thrilled for him. Unfortunately, the shine is taken off it a little bit as we had to bring him off. He was the unfortunate player after we had to reshuffle after the sending off. But he got the goal, earned us a point and he's right in the mix for starting on Saturday.
"The players can't give anymore than they have done over the last two games. We have played two promotion contenders and we have more than matched them.With a break here and there we might have had six points not two from the two games.
"We now go to Tranmere looking for three points on Saturday. We need to go there now and put the same amount of effort in again, that will be the key."