A Luke Varney double and a goal from Dave Kitson steered Pompey to three valuable points in this Championship encounter.
With Benjani still out injured Pompey made one change to the team that started against Ipswich Town in mid-week: Norwegian Erik Huseklepp came in to the starting line-up and Joel Ward dropped to the substitutes bench where he took his place alongside Marko Futacs.
Pompey couldn't have got off to a better start and scored within three minutes. It was the epitomy of route one football. Henderson kicked the ball long downfield from his own penalty area and his long clearance bounced amongst the Doncaster defenders whose ponderance allowed Luke Varney to step in and tap the ball home past veteran goalkeeper Neil Sullivan.
Despite a couple of other early chances for the home team Pompey's performance degenerated from that early high point allowing Doncaster Rovers back in to the match.
Just before the half hour Stephen Henderson denied Kyle Bennett's long range effort with a good save to his right. However, the ball went out for a corner from which the away team scored: Doncaster's talisman Billy Sharp took the corner and found former Southampton trainee Kyle Gillett unmarked on the edge of the penalty area. He took full advantage of Pompey's slack defending to smash a fantastic drive past Henderson in to the corner of the goal past his right hand.
Pompey's two stand out players in the first half were Dave Kitson, who was leading the line well, and Tal Ben Haim who continued to show good form with his surging, skilful runs from the left back position.
HT: Portsmouth 1-1 Doncaster Rovers
Donny the Dog, the away team mascot, was very harshly done by in the half-time race against Nelson the Pompey mascot - the on-pitch compere deciding the home team mascot had just nicked the decision to score against Mary Rose in front of the Fratton End following a race from the halfway line. Donny The Dog was not a happy bunny...or dog for that matter.
Erik Huseklepp looked much livelier in the second half and was starting to have a bigger influence on the proceedings and Pompey were brighter all round.
It was no surprise when Pompey took the lead with a goal from Dave Kitson in the 68th minute. Huseklepp's cross in to the box caused problems before David Norris hooked it goalbound and Kitson reacted strongly to head the ball home in front of the Fratton Faithful.
Varney's second goal of the game came seven minutes later and again involved the Norwegian international whose run down the left hand flank on to the end of a Kitson pass caused Doncaster problems. His low cross in to the box found Varney who slotted it home with the side of his right foot.
Pompey deserved this win against a Doncaster Rovers team still finding their way under former Wrexham manager Dean Saunders.
The away team didn't really trouble Henderson in the Pompey goal during the second half and looked a shadow of the team that visited last season. It was a surprise to see James Coppinger come off the bench as a second half replacement, he'd been such a thorn in Pompey's side last season.
Overall, this performance was such a contrast to their last visit to Fratton Park, under the wily stewardship of Sean O'Driscoll, when Doncaster won 3-2.
With Pompey still managerless that performance still ranks high amongst the Pompey faithful and coupled with the good work he did with The Cherries is probably why he's in the running to replace the now departed Steve Cotterill.
FT: Portsmouth 3-1 Doncaster Rovers
Match Action Pictures
Portsmouth versus Doncaster Rovers: Stephen Henderson, Greg Halford, Ricardo Rocha, Jason Pearce, Tal Ben Haim, Liam Lawrence, David Norris, Hayden Mullins, Erik Huseklepp, LukeVarney, Dave Kitson. Substitutes: Jamie Ashdown, Aaron Mokoena, Kanu, Joel Ward and Marko Futacs
Attendance: 12,779
MOTM: Luke Varney was voted Pompey MOTM by the fans using the new text voting service. However, my vote would have gone to Dave Kitson.
Next up for Pompey: Derby County away on Saturday 29th October at 3PM
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