Pompey display pleases Richardson

Christian Burgess’ 31st-minute goal settled matters this afternoon as the Blues put further League Two distance between themselves and promotion rivals Luton.

The Hatters, who had Cameron McGeehan stretchered off with a suspected broken leg in the first half, struck the bar through Danny Hylton and applied plenty of second-half pressure.

However, it was Pompey who won the contest with a 1-0 scoreline, despite the blow of substitute Gary Roberts missing a stoppage-time penalty.

It means Paul Cook’s men are now four points adrift of the automatic promotion spots – and Richardson was pleased with their progress.

Pompey’s assistant manager said: ‘Over the festive period it is a tough calendar.

‘The lads have prepared and applied themselves really well, and to get three points off a very good team is really pleasing.

‘It was a game of two halves.

‘The first half we were very good and controlled in possession, the second half we had to be the opposite out of possession because Luton adapted a different style of play and changed the formation a couple of times.

‘That put us on our back foot for a certain period but I thought we coped with it well defensively, everyone to a man.

‘Fingers crossed for Cameron McGeehan, he’s a big player, a good young lad and a good prospect, it’s never great to see something like that.’