Magic Marcus Harness the hat-trick hero to give Portsmouth first League One win of season at Burton

Three brilliant goals from the forward against his former club gave the Blues a 4-2 victory to ease some pressure off under-fire manager Kenny Jackett.

Yet Pompey would make this win harder than it perhaps should have, going behind after taking an early lead before recovering superbly.

Jackett’s men made a dream start and went ahead after just 79 seconds.

Michael Jacobs jinked his way into the box and after being challenged, the ball broke for Harness, who finished with aplomb.

The Blues were playing with far more attacking cohesion than they have in previous games and should have doubled their advantage on nine minutes.

Ellis Harrison’s lovely pass around the corner set Ryan Williams free. But despite being left one-on-one with the keeper, he steered his shot narrowly wide of the far post.

And Pompey were made to pay for that miss, with poor defending leading to Burton’s equaliser.

A bouncing ball failed to be cleared, with Kane Hemmings’ shot blocked before Lucas Akins’ follow-up shot found the net via a Tom Naylor deflection.

And the Blues skipper, playing against his former side, netted an own goal as the visitors threw away their lead. Joe Powell got to the byline and cut back a cross, only for Naylor to turn into his own net.

To their credit, Jackett's men responded superbly and should have gone into the interval level.

On the stroke of half-time Harness spurned a glorious chance when he couldn’t adjust his feet properly after Williams’ effort could only be parried by keeper Kieran O’Hara.

But Pompey would get their leveller two minutes into the second period.

The Brewers failed to clear a corner and, with his back to goal, Harness’ cheeky backheel fooled everyone and found the back of the net.

The Blues had their tails up and continued to dominate. Jacobs sent a free-kick over and then missed a glorious chance before Harrison had a thumping volley thwarted for a corner.

It was from that set-piece wheere the away side would go in front. Harrison headed across goal and there was Whatmough to tap home on the hour mark.

Pompey would put the game to bed in the 74th minute, with Harness rounding off a deserved hat-trick.

The ex-Port Vale loanee left a defender for dead with a Cruyff turn before lifting his shot over the onrushing O’Hara.

The Blues wouldn't ease of the gas in the closing stages, with Ronan Curtis – making his 100th appearance – stinging the palms of the keeper.

When the final whistle went, there was relief for Pompey as they collected a first league win.

With the pressure on Jackett to start delivering results, it was the much-needed start to a hectic October.

Pompey: MacGillivray, Johnson, Whatmough, Raggett, Brown, Naylor, Morris, Williams (Curtis 62), Harness (Cannon 90), Jacobs, Harrison (Marquis 86)

Subs not used: Bass, Nicolaisen, Pring, Close.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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