Former Leeds United and Reading man reveals why Portsmouth’s season hit key moment in Carlisle win

The stoppage-time matchwinner felt the Blues could easily have seen their 24-match unbeaten league run extinguished against Paul Simpson’s side.

Instead John Mousinho’s side found a way to eke out a 1-0 success at Fratton Park and open up a three-point lead at the top of League One.

Despite being the late hero for the second time this month, Shaughnessy highlighted an excellent stop from Will Norris as a central moment as he kept out Dan Butterworth’s effort in the game’s dying embers.

The summer arrival from Burton feels the game’s outcome was a cause for celebration as Pompey made it seven wins on the spin while being well short of their best.

And, if the season is to develop as it is promising to, Mousinho’s men may look back at the afternoon as a seminal occasion.

Shaughnessy said: ‘It’s massive wins and massive moments.

‘When Will pulls off that save these are the moments you may perhaps look back on.

‘They had a couple of chances where they’ve hit the post and Will has made that save.

‘It could have ended up a draw easily and on a bad day we could’ve lost that game.

‘So I think we will look back on this one and see it as a very important three points.

‘I think it’s fair to say and the gaffer said after he wasn’t sure we deserved to win, because of the second-half performance.

‘But it’s games like that when we’re not at our best and still winning, that shows the strength of the side.’

The Carlisle win came courtesy of Pompey fifth goal in second-half stoppage time this season - returning eight points as a result.

Shaughnessy feels such an impressive statistic is not an accident, but a result of a conviction from the Blues they can be a threat right until the final whistle.

He added: ‘I think it’s down to the characters in the dressing room.

‘There’s just a real togetherness and a never-say-die attitude.

‘Everyone is giving their all right until the end and, like we see, I’m fortunate enough to be on the end of two of those great balls in from Sparkesy in the last minute.

‘These are massive moments and it’s a really collective where we don’t get bored of doing the right things.

‘That’s all about the people we have the mindset of the players and staff. That’s developed over the past couple of months.’