Boss calls for Pompey to be ruthless

And the Blues boss called on the rest of his side to be just as clinical after last night’s 2-1 triumph at Yeovil.

The Hungarian defender was the match-winner with a fine turn and shot in the 78th minute.

It was a second goal in successive games for the former Cardiff player, having netted the equaliser in Saturday’s win over Scunthorpe.

Pompey should not have had to rely on Gyepes for a well-deserved Huish Park victory, though.

They wasted a number of great opportunities to make their dominance in the driving rain count.

And Appleton has called on the others to follow Gyepes’ example.

He said: ‘From my point of view, I would like to see us be a little bit more clinical with our attacking players in the team.

‘I want to make sure we finish the game off, so we don’t have to rely on the lads like Gabor to get us the points we thoroughly deserved.

‘The strikers were fantastic in the first half.

‘They worked together, they linked up together, they showed touches of class at times.

‘More importantly for me, they had an honesty to really work for the team.

‘And the first people who were congratulated at half-time on their work rate were the front two.

‘My only gripe at half-time was we weren’t clinical enough and hadn’t finished the game off by that stage.

‘When the game is 1-0 you always give them the opportunity to get back into it. And, unfortunately, that is what we did.

‘But Gabor got himself a really good goal on the turn, keeping the ball down.

‘That was the crucial bit, keeping the ball down.

‘A lot of people slash it in and it goes over the bar.

‘The key thing is – when you are on the half turn and the ball is coming towards you – keep the ball down because anything can happen.

‘And it was a really good strike to give us the points.’

For Gyepes it was a fourth goal in his past nine matches, spread over the past three seasons.

It’s a staggering return from the towering defender who is rapidly making a big impression on Pompey fans since arriving last month.

He scored his previous two goals while with Cardiff, who he left this summer.

And Appleton believes the Fratton faithful have not seen the end of his goal-scoring.

He added: ‘Gabor has got good feet. I am not surprised he has scored because he strikes the ball well, as do two or three of the defenders.

‘He scores goals in training as well. Not necessarily on the half turn, mind. It’s normally in small-sided games and it comes out, he has a good first touch and slaps on to it.

‘He is full of confidence after getting his goal on Saturday and he feels much fitter now than he did probably two or three weeks ago.’