Ruthless Portsmouth put in-form Crewe to sword to move up to fourth

Kenny Jackett’s men stormed to a 4-0 victory at Fratton Park to move up to fourth in the League One table and put some shaky home form to bed in emphatic fashion.

The visitors dominated possession but the Blues looked likely to score every time they broke as they took advantage of the Railwaymen’s poor defending.

A first-half double form Ronan Curtis was supplemented with another excellent finish from Tom Naylor as he made it three in three.

John Marquis then had to get in on the act with his 10th in 11 to cement his position as the division’s top scorer.

The first half was a clear example of how little possession stats mean in isolation.

Crewe had 72 per cent of the ball by the break but found themselves two down as Pompey counter-attacked in outstanding fashion.

Craig MacGillivray had made an impressive 10th minute stop before Curtis gave his side the lead five minutes later.

It was all about Pompey’s press, as first Harrison forced Beckles into a mistake and Curtis and Marquis combined, before the top scorer slipped in the Irishman to roll the ball home.

Two let-offs followed as Crewe somehow couldn’t force the ball in after Oli Finney’s 22nd-minute shot and MacGillivray turned the ball over.

Then Beckles headed wide from a corner before his mistake let Curtis in for the second, as he produced a delightful drag over the ball to take Will Jasskelainen out of the equation and finish.

It took 11 second-half minutes for Pompey to completely put the game to bed as Naylor lashed in his third goal in three from 20 yards.

Then Marquis got in on the act as he cracked an effort against the woodwork before nodding home the rebound.

From there, it was comfortable for the Blues, although sub Callum Ainley cracked a shot off the post with 16 minutes left.

Finney then scored a late, late penalty to rob Pompey of a clean sheet after a Brown handball.