Portsmouth hit Crawley for nine as brilliant Australian newcomer bags hat-trick in behind-closed-doors romp

And Colby Bishop also marked his return from injury with a goal in this afternoon’s behind-closed-doors fixture.

John Mousinho’s men ran out 9-1 winners against the League Two visitors at their Hilsea training ground in the July rain.

It was a match which represented first outings in Pompey colours for Gavin Whyte, Regan Poole, Abu Kamara and Yengi.

And joining Bishop and Yengi on the scoresheet were Anthony Scully (two), Zak Swanson, Tom Lowery and Christian Saydee in a match consisting of four half-an-hour periods.

That format allowed the Blues to employ 22 players, granted roughly 60 minutes each, including a number returning from injury.

Indeed, from the concerning list of casualties only a week ago, just Joe Rafferty and Josh Dockerill now remain in the treatment room.

And with numbers now swelled, it was Yengi, back from an ankle injury, who stole the show, with a 22-minute hat-trick for the Blues.

Scully also featured strongly with two goals and three assists, having been among eight substitutes introduced in the 61st minute.

At that stage it was 2-1, yet with Crawley also making changes, Mousinho’s side were far too strong, subsequently rattling in seven goals over the remaining 60 minutes.

The scoring was opening on 18 minutes when Kamara’s cross from the left was deflected by the foot of Crawley keeper Corey Addai and found its way to Swanson, whose right-foot volley took a deflection on its way into the net.

Bishop then saw two shots from the right saved by the keeper’s legs, while Terry Devlin missed two great opportunities, failing to get either on target.

However, on 49 minutes, Harry Forster levelled for the visitors after a cross from the right was partially blocked by Connor Ogilvie.

Then, on the stroke of the end of the second period, Ogilvie crashed a left-footed shot over the bar but was clattered as he did so.

It earned the Blues a 60th-minute penalty converted by Bishop, sending the keeper the wrong way, and they were back in front at 2-1.

Mousinho then made eight changes, with Will Norris, Sean Raggett and Kamara keeping their places for the start of the third period.

It was 3-1 on 69 minutes when Jack Sparkes played a ball down the left flank into the path of Scully, who cut inside and finished into the far corner with his right foot.

It was all Pompey and Lowery should have scored, while Sparkes struck the top of the bar, but, on 88 minutes, it was 4-1 when Lowery converted Scully’s pull back.

Yengi was introduced for Kamara on 74 minutes and 18 minutes later opened his account with a left-footed finish from inside the box which entered the net via the inside of the far post.

It was 6-1 on 101 minutes when he converted Scully’s cross and a minute later the Australian was denied a hat-trick when his shot was cleared off the line.

The goals continued to flow, though, with Scully claiming his second with a left-footed finish at the far post from Harry Jewitt-White’s right-wing cross to make it 7-1.

Scully was again involved for the eighth, providing the pass for Christian Saydee to calmly lift over the keeper first time and into the net.

And the 9-1 triumph was wrapped up on 114 minutes, when Paddy Lane did superbly down the left and found Yengi, who took his time before sealing his hat-trick and comprehensive win.

Pompey: Norris (91 mins Oluwayemi), Swanson (61 mins Jewitt-White), Poole (48 mins Raggett), Towler (61 mins Shaughnessy), Ogilvie (61 mins Sparkes), Pack (61 mins Stevenson), Morrell (61 mins Lowery) Devlin (61 mins Scully), Whyte (61 mins Lane), Bishop (61 mins Saydee), Kamara (74 mins Yengi).