Nathan Thompson had gone 69 games without finding the target for Pompey.
But the right-back – who signed from Swindon in the summer of 2017 – certainly picked the right time to open his account for the club.
There were just eight minutes remaining at Wembley when he nodded home Gareth Evans’ cross to take the Checkatrade Trophy final against Sunderland into extra-time.
The Blues eventually got the job done on penalties and Thompson was delighted to play a key role in the triumph.
He said: “Scoring at Wembley is something you dream about, so of course it’s an incredible feeling.
“Picking up a trophy in front of more than 85,000 fans is even better and we’ll cherish those memories.
"I’ve been on the losing side before and it’s a horrible feeling walking out of Wembley without the medal around your neck."
“We know the quality that Gaz has got and I managed to time my run to get on the end of it quite nicely.
“I could have had another one earlier on, but the ball just got away from me and that was disappointing.
“To make up for that and end up on the winning team is a fantastic thing and something we can all enjoy.
“Sunderland went 1-0 up and controlled the first half, but we showed our character by coming out and looking a lot stronger.
“I’ve been on the losing side before and it’s a horrible feeling walking out of Wembley without the medal around your neck.”
Pompey will now switch their attention back to the League One promotion race, starting with Saturday’s trip to Wycombe.
Thompson said: “Hopefully it can provide us with a bit of momentum going into the final push because our ultimate aim is getting into the Championship.”