It's over: Portsmouth's Christian Saydee lifts lid on emotional Hull celebration after agonising wait

The powerful attacker was introduced at half-time for Callum Lang, with the Blues trailing 1-0 to struggling Hull in the final match of the season.

Within 10 minutes, his fierce angled finish from the right restored parity in a game which would finish 1-1 as Pompey ended the campaign in 16th spot - and the Tigers stayed up on goal difference.

For Saydee, it was a first goal since August, when he netted twice in a 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough in the third Championship fixture.

Hull also represented only his sixth appearance in the Blues' last 17 games, having been primarily a bit-part player this season, utilised occasionally from the bench.

And having gone more than eight months without a goal, it clearly meant the world to the 22-year-old.

Saydee told The News: ‘That meant a lot to me. It was a reminder, which is probably where the energy came from the celebration.

‘Since I’ve been here, I haven’t scored as much as I wanted to, so when I scored that goal, there was a bit of relief.

‘It’s the same as last season, I know my role in the team and luckily the gaffer has given us all the confidence that we will always be involved. Hopefully, in the future, if I get my chance I can take it more often.

‘I did a roulette with my first touch and when something like that happens your confidence goes through the roof.

‘I also had Matty (Ritchie) to the right of me, who just kept on giving me loads of confidence and always wanted me to get on the ball, encouraging me all the time.

‘Skip (Marlon Pack) put the ball through and Matt dummied it. Me and him have got a good connection, we get along really well, so when he was running towards it I either knew he was going to flip it around the corner or leave it.

‘Then I hit it as hard as I could. It left my foot and I kept my head down the whole time, then I heard everyone cheering.’

His Hull goal was only his seventh in 73 appearances since arriving for an undisclosed fee from Bournemouth in June 2023.

In fairness, Saydee has mainly been utilised as an impact player off the bench, with 30 of those outings coming as starts - and just 10 as Championship starts.

He added: ‘It’s crazy how football flips quickly, but hopefully I can continue.

‘It almost reminded me of scoring at Fratton Park against Oxford last season, the same type of feeling. That was so special and I definitely want to have more of that.’