'Don't write these players off': Portsmouth boss' delight at statement victory for Bolton and Oxford rivals

John Mousinho surveyed an impressive Pompey reaction and insisted ‘Don’t write these players off’.

Just 72 hours following their Blackpool disappointment, the Blues secured a 2-0 victory at struggling Burton through goals from Colby Bishop and Alex Robertson.

It represented the perfect response to a first defeat in 28 league matches, with Mousinho delighted how his players overcame their latest test.

And he is adamant he never had any doubts over the resilience of his promotion hopefuls, who now find themselves separated by leaders Bolton through goal difference.

The head coach told The News: ‘The result is the most important thing, but we want to make sure that if we’re going to be consistent this season we put in good performances as well.

‘I thought for the most part, apart from 10 minutes in the second half, we were really good.

‘My only disappointment is we didn’t put the game to bed a bit more comfortably towards the back end. We didn’t necessarily have a huge amount of chances, but it was the positions we put ourselves in, the opportunities we had to create something and test their goalkeeper.

‘However, off the back of the weekend, the disappointment, the blow to morale and having conceded four, to then register a clean sheet and three points away from home on a very, very cold Tuesday night is really pleasing.

‘In a way, I feel I have learnt about them. It's the first time we’ve been tested like this and it was naturally a very, very different feeling at the training ground on Monday. We had lost a league game, so it was about how we reacted.

‘Although I knew this was going to be a game in which they reacted positively. I have seen how the boys have been since the first day of pre-season. This group is a very, very good group, there are some excellent leaders in there.

‘Look at the resolve they have shown to come through a pretty tricky period. A lot of people were thinking maybe this is Pompey dropping off - yet it was an excellent night for all of those lads involved.’

Among those who bounced back from Blackpool was Jack Sparkes, who endured a torrid afternoon against CJ Hamilton.

However, the former Exeter man knuckled down and showed his quality at the Pirelli Stadium, earning the head coach’s praise.

Mousinho added: ‘We spoke to Jack on Monday about Blackpool and that is going to happen, you’re going to get times when you come up against really good wingers, they'll give you a problem.

‘There was probably a period in the second half (at Burton) where Jack was under a bit of pressure, but the most pleasing thing was he didn’t go under. Then, for the last half-an-hour, we didn’t see the right-hand side really create anything.

‘Jack was aggressive, he worked hard, he did his best to keep the winger out of the box, and it was a really positive comeback.’