RECAP as Portsmouth comfortably win in front of watching owners

‘It took him a handful of games to get up to speed because he hadn’t played a first team game since September before he joined.

‘It was almost a case of getting him fit and getting that match sharpness there, but generally he’s been really, really good.

‘It took him a handful of games to get up to speed because he hadn’t played a first team game since September before he joined.

‘It was almost a case of getting him fit and getting that match sharpness there, but generally he’s been really, really good.

‘He scored and provided an assist in the 2-0 win over Lincoln, but what he does with and without the ball has been really impressive.

‘He’s stood out as much as possible in a squad that’s struggling at the wrong end of the table.

We’d like him to score more goals and provide more assists but the first thing he’s done since he came in is provide leadership.

‘People in the team follow his lead because of his work rate, his personality and his willingness to put his foot in and do the ugly side of the game because winning games isn’t always about what you do with the ball.

‘I can’t get away from the fact I’d love him to stay longer term, but I am very aware of the fact that a lad who was playing in the Championship not even two years ago on a regular basis, is probably too good to play in League Two at 26 years of age.

‘I know there were a lot of Portsmouth fans who were slightly disappointed when he was announced at Gillingham, a lot thought they had a right to sign him because they’re a bigger club than we are, but there is that big bond between him and Neil Harris.

‘He got a song after about three of four games and the fans love him.

‘He’s settled in really well as well as Neil Harris, but the best thing we got from the pair coming in is that we got some positivity back into the club and some belief.

‘We were a car crash every single week and now they’ve come in it’s made us think we are better off, regardless of what division we do end up in next season.’

Pompey face Gillingham this afternoon in their penultimate Fratton Park fixture, with the sun shining on PO4.

The Blues welcome back Ben Thompson for the first time since his outstanding loan spell in the 2018-19 season.

We will also find out the identity of the 2021-22 News/Sports Mail player of the season ahead of kick off.

The play-offs are now officially beyond Pompey’s reach, but fans will still be looking for cause for optimism from their team moving forward.

We’ll be building up to kick off with all the talking points, before the team news drops at 2pm.

There will be more reaction and video before we bring live commentary of the action from 3pm.