Port Vale 0 Portsmouth 1: Neil Allen's verdict - Delectable debut as Brentford newcomer hints at being promotion catalyst

Perhaps it was the sumptuous volleyed crossfield pass to the feet of Terry Devlin, maybe it was the delightful first-time flick which sent Paddy Lane racing down the left flank.

Or how about the stinging sliding tackle, ghosting in from the side to dispossess a Port Vale man, representing a first meaningful contribution in a Pompey shirt.

There was plenty to admire about Myles Peart-Harris' delectable Blues bow. In terms of creativity and skill, those present witnessed one of the more exciting debuts in recent times.

There were faints, dummies, dancing feet, one acrobatic half-volley, and a natural comfort on the ball - plenty in the 21-year-old's repertoire to hint he can provide a touch of class in the promotion run-in.

Certainly the success of Peart-Harris' loan spell will not be defined by an outing at a combustible Vale Park in which the hosts failed to register a single shot on target.

Admittedly, he also faded significantly as the second half marched on, albeit largely understandable as it marked a first competitive 90 minutes since March 2023 against Plymouth.

Nonetheless, those wonderful flashes and tantalising glimpses offered plentiful evidence to suggest Peart-Harris' arrival can add the attacking edge so glaringly missing at present.

Pompey may boast League One's meanest defence, but, worryingly, they also rank as the second-lowest scorers in the top eight. As a consequence, possessing the worst goal difference of the five leading clubs.

John Mousinho's men are long-time leaders, yet a spark has been glaringly absent for a while now, having netted more than one goal in a game just once during the last eight matches.

The Blues hope that Myles-Peart, a more conventional number 10 than Alex Robertson, can serve as the attacking catalyst. In a side impressive in so many other areas, it's a long-standing vacancy they have so far failed to fill.

As it was, despite the youngster's immense promise and man-of-the-match display, the Blues had to rely on a penalty two minutes from time to overcome an agricultural Valiant side.

Such was the controversy surrounding the game-deciding moment, one particularly-incensed home fan subsequently invaded the pitch, giving chase to referee Craig Hicks, who had to flee down the tunnel.

It was only the intervention of Vale's coaching staff which stopped the lumbering moron in his tracks, making a citizen's arrest until slothful stewards finally caught up.

Still, Colby Bishop's 14th goal of the season settled matters at a time when the Blues' goal threat had frustratingly petered out and many had reluctantly accepted a goalless draw.

As ever, good sides find ways to win matches, yet, despite continuing to dominate matches, there is no great swagger at present nor suggestion they are capable of obliterating even the lowliest of opposition.

Everything is rather efficient. Hard-working, well-organised, full of effort and endeavour, while demonstrating the occasional flourish, but all so very effective, certainly in displays post-Bolton.

Pompey fully deserved to beat Port Vale on Saturday, as they did Fleetwood the previous week, but again spurned chances and suffered from a lack of quality in the final third, often making the wrong decisions when well-placed.

Abu Kamara, undoubtedly one of the season's stars, was the main culprit, having a notable off-day. His awful late miss from Terry Devlin's right-wing cross summed up a below-par performance, yet the 20-year-old is entitled to be erratic in his first full season at senior level.

The fact he remained on the pitch reflects Mousinho's unwavering faith in him or lack of trust in his three wingers on the bench - Josh Martin, Gavin Whyte and Anthony Scully. Or perhaps both. As it was, Martin appeared in the 82nd minute, one of three substitutes used.

Yet, on 87 minutes, Conor Shaughnessy won a strong tackle against Ethan Chislett, immediately met with objections from the home crowd, setting into motion the key moment.

The ball squirted into the path of Kamara who showed presence of mind to drive into the box, before falling to the ground following a clumsy attempt from Conor Grant to challenge. Penalty - and the Vale faithful howled even more.

Bishop continues to look short of confidence, opting to bring others into play rather than shooting from excellent goal-scoring positions on occasions, but he demonstrated admirable nerve to step up and net the winner.

There was no coming back for Port Vale as the Blues superbly managed their lead - and the now incendiary nature of the occasion - to see out another important win.

As for Peart-Harris, the likes of Omar Bogle, Josh Koroma and Dane Scarlett enjoyed encouraging starts to loan spells at Fratton Park. Let's hope, unlike them, he can conjure up a place in the Championship.