Gaffer for a day: Cambridge 0 Pompey 1

It was a poor game and sometimes we were scrappy, but that one moment of quality decided it.

If Conor Chaplin had missed that we would have walked away from the game knowing neither side deserved to win. As it was, we collected the three points.

It was quite a boring game, we didn’t really get going, but still enjoyable as a Pompey fan to show we can defend sometimes.

Man of the match? Surely there is only one candidate?

Yes – it has to be Christian Burgess.

During the first 10 minutes, Uche Ikpeazu looked liked he was going to cause all sorts of problems, but I cannot remember Burgess being beaten in the air the whole game.

He was strong, powerful and, to add to that, display what a cracking ball for Chaplin’s goal.

He was awesome. Like every player, Burgess needs more consistency and last week made a few errors. Maybe that consistency will now come.

What did you make of the decision to recall Matt Clarke.

In my preview I said I wouldn’t change the central-defensive partnership, but I thought the pair of them were superb.

That has now put down a marker – Burgess/Clarke has to be Pompey’s partnership from now on. They shouldn’t be broken.

It is down to them. They have proven themselves, so going forwards must do all they can to remain there.

With Burgess right-footed and Clarke left-footed it gives us not only balance defensively but also on the ball.

Was it a deserved red for Amine Linganzi?

Unfortunately I thought it was, despite having won the ball.

It was a two-footed challenge and his absence for the next three games is a shame as I thought again he did well.

Linganzi has shown himself to be a real asset to the team, offering us something a bit different to Michael Doyle and Danny Rose.

He was having another steady game and went a bit over the top and has now been punished.

With both Linganzi and Doyle out of the Wycombe game it’s time for Ben Close to come back in.