Portsmouth boss' tribute to Fratton faithful as he highlights critical factor in Cambridge United battering

And he paid tribute to the character of his players in tandem with a fierce Fratton Park crowd as they battled from behind to keep up their unbeaten start to the League One campaign.

Pompey came from a goal down to level in first-half stoppage time, and then add three further finishes in a powerful second-half showing in front of a crowd of 17,702.

Colby Bishop’s fifth of the season was supplemented by efforts from Ronan Curtis, Michael Jacobs and Connor Ogilvie in a display of counter-pressing intensity.

The win lifts Pompey up to third in the formative League One table - and Cowley has no doubt the crowd played a part in that success.

He spoke of how the players noted they had stayed with them as aimed to ride a wave of noise - which they eventually did in emphatic fashion.

Cowley said: ‘The noise the crowd showed, particularly when we went behind was important.

‘That is how I judge them really, because it’s easy to judge them when things don’t go so well.

‘But they just stayed with the players and the players talked about that at half time.

‘The players were just so appreciative of that and it helps keep the confidence levels high and allows the players to play at their best.

‘Credit to them, our supporters always play a big part in any of our victories but particularly here.

‘We were able to get them waves of attacks in the second half as a result of that.’

On the pitch, Cowley could see plenty of character from his players and leaders in the team to respond to Cambridge’s 30th-minute opener.

Then he felt his men showed their quality to execute the game plan and play in the style he demands in ruthless fashion.

Cowley added: ‘The character showed after going one goal down was pleasing.

‘We’d just found some rhythm and just conceded a really poor goal, which was disappointing.

‘But the response we showed, we showed a lot of mettle and character.

‘Boys like Marlon Pack showed so much responsibility in the moment, got the ball and got us playing.

‘We were able to find our rhythm, the goal before half time helped and in the second half we were able to find our rhythm.

‘We looked a good team, we sped our play up and there was a much better connection.

‘There was a real intensity about our play towards the Fratton End and we were able to suffocate our opponent.’