Pompey provided the perfect belated Christmas present with victory over table-topping Wycombe at Fratton Park.

The hosts came alive following an instantly forgettable first half that never really got out of second gear.

Their pressure told when Ben Close fired home and a neat finish from the in-form Ronan Curtis made the points safe.

Kenny Jackett made one enforced change from the side that impressively beat Ipswich just before Christmas.

Ross McCrorie injured his hamstring midway through that game and was replaced at right-back by James Bolton.

Those expecting a free-flowing contest like the one witnessed against the Tractor Boys a few days earlier were in for a disappointment.

It was an attritional and stop-start contest from the off on a blustery and damp afternoon on the south coast.

The hosts were first to threaten when Andy Cannon stole possession and whipped in a fine cross from the left.

Ellis Harrison – who was being nudged – nodded the ball down for Ryan Williams, who volleyed narrowly past the post.

But that was Williams’ last involvement, with the winger soon going down injured for the second time and having to be replaced by Marcus Harness.

Ben Close then played a short corner to Cannon and received the ball back before bending a powerful effort wide.

Pompey collected a few bookings before the break, with Harrison and Tom Naylor punished for fouls, while Curtis saw yellow for an alleged dive.

Wycombe won a series of corners, although were never really able to threaten Craig MacGillivray’s net.

Anton Walkes, meanwhile, showed some neat footwork on the left and stung the palms of former Fratton loanee Ryan Allsop with a fierce angled drive.

The visitors’ best chance came when a Joe Jacobson’s flag-kick was glanced across goal by Alex Samuel, but there was nobody to get the required touch.

Six minutes of additional time was the result of a bitty opening period and Harrison had an opportunity after being fed by Cannon, only to fire straight at a grateful Allsop.

Half Time: Pompey 0 Wycombe 0

Pompey started the second half brightly and won a corner on the right following some neat interplay between Cannon and Harness.

The ball was sent into the mixer by Close, but Bolton could only head it over the bar from just a few yards out.

Close then had a chance of his own after driving along the edge of the box and firing narrowly over the bar.

Bolton was alert at the other end just before the hour mark, just about getting to Samuel’s low centre before Paul Smyth to turn the ball behind.

MacGillivray then got his fingertips to an effort from Samuel and Christian Burgess was well-placed to deal with the loose ball.

But the Blues picked up again on 66 minutes and Allsop made two fine saves in quick succession, first keeping out Curtis’ deflected effort and then Bolton’s follow-up.

It was the briefest of respites for the Chairboys, though, as the deadlock was broken a few seconds later.

Harrison prodded against the post with just the keeper to beat, but CLOSE kept his cool to get into a shooting position and fire home from close range.

Wycombe immediately responded by replacing Rolando Aarons with David Wheeler, who spent the first half of last season on loan at Fratton Park.

And a change for the hosts soon followed, with the hard-working Cannon drawing warm applause as he made way for Gareth Evans.

The Blues immediately doubled their advantage, as Harness sent in a low cross from the right that was converted by a neat CURTIS flick.

Wanderers were forced to open up a bit more and their opponents looked threatening on the counter.

But the visitors almost reduced their deficit from a late free-kick, with skipper Joe Jacobson curling the ball against the outside of the post.

Pompey saw out the closing stages in driving rain, however, to continue their fine run of form and ensure the final Fratton fixture of 2019 ended in a celebratory fashion.

Pompey (4-2-3-1): MacGillivray; Bolton, Burgess, Raggett; Walkes; Naylor (c), Close; Williams (Harness 7), Cannon (Evans 72), Curtis (Marquis 90+2); Harrison
Goals: Close 66, Curtis 73
Booked: Harrison, Curtis, Naylor
Subs not used: Bass, Downing, Hawkins, Pitman

Wycombe (4-2-3-1): Allsop; Jombati, Stewart, Samuel, Jacobson (c); Thompson (Pattison 27), Ofoborh; Aarons (Wheeler 67), Samuel, Freeman; Smyth (Kashket 77)
Booked: Stewart, Aarons, Jacobson
Subs not used: Yates, Phillips, Bloomfield, Parker

Referee: John Busby

Attendance: 18,419 (749 away fans)