Second half goals from two Pompey skippers, in this Championship encounter against Scunthorpe United at Fratton Park, gave Pompey their fifth consecutive win.
Both of the Pompey goals, scored by match skipper Dave Kitson and Club captain Aaron Mokoena, were struck powerfully from outside of the penalty box although the South African's shot took a deflection.
As well as a fifth consecutive win this was Pompey's fifth consecutive clean sheet.
The victory sees Pompey move up in to 12th position in the table on 47 points, seven points off the play off positions.
Pompey were forced to make one change from the team that beat Ipswich Town, Joel Ward picked up a knock in that game and so Kanu came in to the starting line-up.
Conditions at Fratton Park were difficult with a strong easterly wind blowing across the ground and a pitch which was bobbly making passing and control of the ball difficult much to the frustration of many Pompey fans.
Indeed the pitch conditions were deemed so bad that the groundsman performed some impromptu watering of the surface at half time. The poor chap was absolutely soaking after walking up-and-down the middle of the pitch pointing a large metal sprinkler on the end of an oversized yellow hose pipe. But it did the trick as conditions improved in the second half.
First half highlights included a David Nugent shot from outside of the penalty box in the opening minutes which was well saved by Josh Lillis and a 'goal' for the visitors from Graham Miller that was chalked off for an infringement that only the officials saw. It was a lucky break for Pompey.
Much of Pompey's good work was coming through Nugent either directly or by setting up colleagues. Pompey's two other good chances in the first half fell to Hreidarsson who headed a Greg Halford throw-in wide of goal and Kanu who was unable to get on the end of a Kitson header that he directed across the face of goal when perhaps he would have been better aiming his effort at goal instead.
Pompey were forced to make a change during the first half, midfielder Hayden Mullins taking a knock on his calf and being withdrawn and replaced by Mokoena.
Mullins has been an ever present this season for Pompey, the only outfielder to do so, and losing his presence could have been a big blow.
However, Mokoena, who often insists that midfield is his best position rather than centre back where he has played most of his games for Pompey, slotted in very well alongside Jonathan Hogg.
The disallowed 'goal' aside the visitors didn't trouble Jamie Ashdown directly in the first half, their only other effort of note a header that went wide of the mark from Michael Collins.
HT: Portsmouth 0-0 Scunthorpe United
With the playing surface having a little bit more zip to it following its half-time soaking Pompey set out to exploit the flanks a bit more, especially the right hand side.
With the visitors playing five across the midfield stretching the game in this way looked to be a good ploy. Cotterill and de Laet combined well on a number of occasions down that flank and always looked threatening, a number of crosses making their way in to the box.
The two Pompey goals both came from well struck shots.
The first came just after the hour mark. Kitson collected the ball outside of the box and cleverly made his way to the edge of the penalty area before unleashing a powerful right footed drive that nestled into the corner of the net past the dive of Lillis. Kitson's footwork in the move way very clever tip-tapping the ball from foot to foot.
Kanu was pivotal in the build-up to Mokoena's goal which came ten minutes from time. He collected the ball on the right hand side of the penalty area, held it up before passing off to the South African who unleashed a powerful shot that took a wicked deflection to take it in to the net. Lucky? Yes. But you make your own luck in football and the goal topped off a good performance by Mokoena.
Steve Cotterill made a couple of late substitutions to use up some time – Dickinson coming on for Nugent and Ciftci for Cotterill. Both players had worked hard during the game.
FT Portsmouth 2-0 Scunthorpe United
Overall, this was another game where Pompey dug in and got the job done. It wasn't a great game but it was brought to life by two goals that Pompey just about deserved. It's a familiar story in recent games and one no Pompey fan will be complaining about as the run of wins has taken Pompey up the table and into a position of relative safety; indeed, looking up more than down.
Just having that extra bit of quality told at the end of the day and Pompey had a little bit more than their visitors when it really mattered.
The Irons were unlucky not to have broken Pompey's stretch of clean sheets with a 'goal' disallowed and one or two other good chances spurned. However, if truth be told Jamie Ashdown will have busier matches.
Pompey have twelve games left, six at home and six away. It's going to be a fascinating end to the season if the momentum can be maintained and who's to say it can't be? A play off position could go down to the final game of the season against...Scunthorpe United. A game both teams could have a lot riding on.
Portsmouth versus Scunthorpe United: Jamie Ashdown, Ritchie de Laet, Greg Halford, Ricardo Rocha, Hermann Hreidarsson, Jonathan Hogg, Hayden Mullins, David Cotterill, Kanu, David Nugent and Dave Kitson. Substitutes: Daryll Flahavan, Carl Dickinson, Aaron Mokoena, Liam Lawrence and Tom Kilbey
Attendance: 14,252, special mention to the 100 or so away fans who had made the 250 plus mile trip down, a good turnout for a midweek fixture.
Pompey MOTM: the offical award went to Jonathan Hogg but I would have given it to Aaron Mokoena.
Next up: Sheffield United at Fratton Park 5th March at 3PM
BlueThruAndThru
