Pompey hero Bennett: My best goal form ever

The in-form winger netted in his fourth successive Pompey appearance as Paul Cook’s side defeated Newport County.

Kal Naismith also registered in Saturday’s 2-1 victory as the Blues extended their cushion in the automatic promotion spots to six points.

Bennett missed the previous weekend’s defeat at Stevenage through injury, but returned against the Exiles to continue his remarkable recent scoring record.

The 26-year-old also registered against Crawley, Colchester and Grimsby.

And he is targeting overhauling last term’s seven-goal tally during the ongoing promotion push.

He said: ‘Obviously the goals help, people notice you a bit more when you score, but I did feel I was playing well before that.

‘You don’t get as much credit if you don’t score but that’s fine, they are the people who win you the games.

‘At the minute I am getting the plaudits but I was playing okay anyway – and now it’s my best goal return for the run of games.

‘If I can keep the run going and help the boys get promotion then that would be great.

‘When you are in that vein of form you do get a bit of confidence. When the ball fell to me I knew I was going to score straightaway, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it, but I knew I’d score.

‘I was going to go around the keeper, but he didn’t move so I decided to put it close enough through his legs.

‘It was a great ball from Bakes (Baker) – normally he shoots from there so I was happy he passed! It was perfectly weighted for me and my first touch was good, which set me up for the goal.

‘Last season I scored seven and I am hopefully going to beat that this year, although I don’t want to get too ahead of myself.

‘When you get one, they tend to come like buses. Once you get the first there’s a bit of confidence every time the ball falls to you, you think you’re going to score.’

Bennett now has 12 goals in 88 games since arriving at Fratton Park in the summer of 2015.

He also finished last season strongly, with four goals in 10 matches as the Blues lost in the play-off semi-finals.

On Saturday, he had already made way for Jamal Lowe when Alex Samuel’s 76th-minute goal prompted a nervy finish.

Bennett added: ‘It gets a little bit tense and the crowd, players on the pitch and those on the bench get nervous, which is understandable.

‘We shouldn’t be putting ourselves into that position.

‘Newport threw the kitchen sink at it and had nothing to lose, they were fighting for their lives and we don’t want to give teams like that a chance.

‘It did get a little nervy, but we’ve come out with a win, which is most important.’