Cook keen to end Pompey season with a play-off flourish

Paul Cook is hoping Pompey's 2-1 win against Wycombe will spark a positive finish to the season with a place in the play-offs now almost certainly secure.
Conor Chaplin is congratulated after scoring Pompey's winner against Wycombe Picture: Joe PeplerConor Chaplin is congratulated after scoring Pompey's winner against Wycombe Picture: Joe Pepler
Conor Chaplin is congratulated after scoring Pompey's winner against Wycombe Picture: Joe Pepler

Goals from Gary Roberts and Conor Chaplin ensured only a hugely-improbable goal difference swing would deny the Blues a place in the end-of-season finale.

And Cook is focused on crowning Pompey’s season in style with a trip to Wembley the big target.

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He said: ‘Mathematically, it is still not 100-per-cent sure but it obviously looks very favourable to us, so as we speak now we are delighted.

‘I do think that is a sense of achievement for the club.

‘By the time we get there we can plan now a little bit and hopefully gear our season around a semi-final that could see us go to Wembley.

‘That would be a very special day for everyone if that is the final outcome.’

Cook praised his players for a good performance to beat a strong Wycombe side.

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He felt the Blues were lacking confidence a bit at the start but soon showed their quality.

He added: ‘I thought the players were terrific today.

‘It was a very nervous start in the game and you can see how edgy we get.

‘Confidence in most sports is everything and we certainly lacked it in the initial part of the game.

‘But I thought there were spells in the first half where we were excellent.

‘We really did open them up and we should have had more goals than we did.

‘Unfortunately, we didn’t see the game out in that manner.

‘But great credit to the players for winning a game of football.’