Smith keen to fire Pompey to promotion

The striker made his Blues bow in last night’s 1-1 draw at Morecambe following his transfer deadline day loan move from Swindon.

He had not started a game since October – during a loan stay at Barnsley.

Smith will be tasked with providing the cutting edge to fire Paul Cook’s side to League One.

The 24-year-old feels there is some rust to shake off – but insists that will not take long at his new club.

Smith said: ‘I enjoyed it in the first half last night.

‘I’d like to have got on the scoresheet but I know the manager and it won’t be hard to settle.

‘I’m sure I’ll get there in no time.

‘I was chuffed to bits when the call came.

‘I haven’t started a game since October, so I can’t wait to get going again now.

‘The aim is to play games and get the goals to get Portsmouth to where they need to be.

‘I’m intending to make the most of being here.’

Smith was as flattened as the rest of his team-mates by the gut-wrenching manner of Morecambe’s last-ditch equaliser.

He admitted the fact the goal came from the head of keeper Barry Roche made it a bitter pill to swallow.

‘It’s horrible. Conceding with the last kick of the game was a kick in the teeth,’ said Smith.

‘The fact it was a goalkeeper makes it worse.

‘Our keeper made a good save at the end but, apart from that, they didn’t create too much.

‘I’ve played in games like that, where the ball is swirling around.

‘It was madness and it was hard for me as a striker – as well as the keepers.

‘I like to play with the ball at feet, though, so I should be okay here.’

– JORDAN CROSS