Gareth Evans praises patient Portsmouth following victory over Scunthorpe

The belligerent visitors showed very little in attack, yet defensively frustrated a Blues team in pursuit of consecutive wins.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 71st minute, when Omar Bogle grabbed his fourth goal in eight games.    ???

Jamal Lowe completed the 2-0 scoreline three minutes from time for a result which cuts the gap between second spot to four points.

And Evans, who appeared off the bench on the stroke of half time for the injured Viv Solomon-Otabor, was impressed with Pompey's calmness.

He said: ‘It was a tough game, the conditions made it a little bit tougher with the wind, and Scunthorpe were a good side.

‘They took quite a lot of breaking down, but overall I thought we were the better team and thoroughly deserved the win in the end.

‘The lads did well in the first half, it was a case of trying to be patient and getting the opportunities.

‘We did get the opportunities in the first half, just didn't manage to put the ball in the back of the net, but the gaffer reiterated at half time to be patient.

‘There was no panicking, everybody knows what we are capable of, especially when we are going towards the Fratton end in the second half, the fans help a hell of a lot and we always believed if we got one we were going to win the game.

‘With the opportunities we missed in the first half – and then missed one or two in the second half – I think the fans and a couple of the players maybe thought it was going to be one of those days where the ball wasn’t going to go in.

‘There was relief when it went in.’