Pompey 'result over performance territory' - analysis

The last time Pompey scored a goal of any kind on a Tuesday night before this week was when Conor Shaughnessy rose the highest to win the league at Fratton Park back in April last year.

So it seems apt that he won us the game against Cardiff with an almost identical header at the other end of the ground.

My word, are Pompey fans pleased to see his aerial threat back, causing mayhem, with Colby's goal drought coming to an audacious end too.

It was a game Portsmouth had to win, and a game we did win. But blimey, it wasn't an easy watch at times!

Some of the seemingly 100mph football felt unsolicited and frankly, struck me as quite naive, particularly as the game came to a close.

It was quite refreshing to see Pompey protect the ball by the corner flag for the final couple of moments, considering before that we'd had a frightening spell of frenetic football.

But take nothing away from the size of the result and the positive implications it has to encourage the team as we begin this crucial six-game run.

Connor Ogilvie was at his imperial best; Josh Murphy's deadly box entries and undeniable pace were demonstrable throughout, and Andre Dozzell caught the eye, registering one of his strongest displays in blue to date.

Critics will perhaps divide the 20-minute start from the rest of the game and cite the stark contrast in performance level, while others will note that a hard-fought win is perfectly acceptable to take points at the bottom end of this division.

What really matters now is that we are in result-over-performance territory, and that applies to every game from now until the season's end, by which point Pompey will have hopefully done enough to be deserving of a spot in the second tier.

It's going to be a close one. But as Colby said after the game, there's plenty to be confident about in terms of our chances of finishing the right side of the dotted line.

An away win at long last this coming weekend would revolutionise the Pompey narrative once again.

One thing is for sure, we are due one…