Gaffer: Fantastic Portsmouth travelling support at Wycombe made it best away match for ages

What were your thoughts on that?

Many Pompey fans were writing this game off as a nailed-on loss given our depleted squad and current league position.

As Danny Cowley put out earlier this week, Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth ‘smelt blood’ and decided to play this fixture despite international call-ups on both sides.

It was a remarkable team performance, though, with many players to be applauded for their commitment, energy and intensity.

Winning at Wycombe against the odds was special and will represent a turning point in our season.

What about that 1,420 away support?

It was fantastic being at Adams Park in the shed there – and was the best away experience I’ve had for quite some time.

It was the sheer volume, the intensity was non-stop. It was incredible.

Before Covid, I would attend three out of four away matches, but subsequently it has shifted. I've still been to half the matches on the road this season.

I put my neck on the line on Twitter the previous day and said I had a good feeling about this game, especially if we could get the support there.

We didn’t get the numbers we could have, but those present definitely made up for it. The atmosphere was superb.

Who was your man of the match?

Even though I was really impressed with George Hirst, I have to give it to Alex Bass for the sheer number of quality saves he made.

He came into the side with big shoes to fill, Gavin Bazunu has hardly done anything wrong all season, he’s such a class keeper.

But people forget what a good player Bass is. Perhaps some felt he was never going to live up to Bazunu against Wycombe, but he did – and you could argue beyond that too.

Those late saves were superb, while he made his penalty stop look a cinch. Who do you now pick for the next game against AFC Wimbledon?

You mentioned Hirst. How does he compare to John Marquis?

Hirst has been a revelation in the last two matches he has started. I couldn’t quite understand why so many fans had written him off.

I’ve hardly seen him play, yet according to others he was the worst player they have ever seen! I just wanted to judge him from watching him.

I’m no fan of Marquis, but will never publicly put him down because he’s our only striker and there by default. Although the first time my son saw him, he said he was never a forward.

Hirst gives Pompey a different dimension, he runs off the ball with purpose and doesn’t kill space like Marquis.

Alex Bass – 9

Mahlon Romeo – 8

Sean Raggett – 8

Connor Ogilvie – 8

Lee Brown – 7

Shaun Williams – 7

Louis Thompson – 8

Miguel Azeez – 7

Marcus Harness – 8

Ronan Curtis – 8

George Hirst – 9

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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