Sean Raggett and Ryan Williams were on target as Pompey won at Tranmere to set a new club record.

It is the first time they have won nine successive games in all competitions since entering the Football League in 1920.

Raggett opened his Blues account with an early close-range header and Williams made sure of the points with a low strike after the break.

The relegation-threatened Rovers kept battling away, but were all too often let down by their play in the final third.

Kenny Jackett made two changes from the side that beat Sunderland on home soil the previous week.

One was enforced, with Andy Cannon’s glute injury seeing Ben Close recalled to midfield and Cameron McGeehan pushed further forward.

Ellis Harrison also returned to lead the line and John Marquis dropped to the bench, where he was joined by Gareth Evans.

The hosts had received plenty of negative publicity for their pitch, which was lacking much grass and included big patches of sand in the wide areas.

Both sides found the conditions – not helped by the windy weather – difficult to deal with and there were plenty of misjudged passes.

But a lovely touch from Ronan Curtis provided an early opening and when his shot was beaten away by Scott Davies, the loose ball was cleared by Calum Woods before Williams could capitalise.

The deadlock was broken on 13 minutes, however, with Curtis providing the assist after he had been fouled by Kane Wilson.

A free-kick was swung into the box by the winger and although Christian Burgess could not make a connection, RAGGETT was in position to head home his opening Blues goal from a few yards out.

Tranmere fought back and almost gained an immediate leveller after Burgess had made a key block to deny former Fratton loanee James Vaughan.

The ball was sent straight back into the area and Andy Cook’s neat back-heel was well saved by Alex Bass from point-blank range.

Still the danger was not over, though, and Close had to go sliding in to prevent Kieron Morris having a free shot on goal.

Harrison had an attempt at the other end midway through the first half, but angled the ball wide after being teed-up by Curtis.

George Ray then did well to get ahead of Burgess at the far post and prevent the defender meeting Steve Seddon’s free-kick.

But it was Tranmere who finished the opening period on top and Bass got down well to stop Cook from nodding home Wilson’s cross.

A delivery from Corey Blackett-Taylor then appeared to present Cook with a free header, only for the striker to somehow miss the ball completely.

Another attempt from the same player soon crept pass the post after Woods had this time provided the cross.

And Burgess came to the rescue in stoppage-time to block Cook’s centre after Bass had come charging from his box and misjudged the bounce of the ball.

Half Time: Tranmere 1 Pompey 0

A couple of Seddon free-kicks caused the hosts problems once the action restarted, while Curtis scuffed a chance off target.

But the lead was doubled on 51 minutes after McGeehan slipped a neat pass through to Curtis, who had stayed onside.

The Republic of Ireland international’s cut-back went behind WILLIAMS, who recovered well to drill a low shot into the bottom corner from just outside the box.

Pompey kept looking for more goals, though, and a firm header from Harrison was sent straight into Davies’ arms.

Their opponents started to look more of a threat as the half progressed, although were constantly being let down by a poor final ball.

A corner – which Bass was booked for holding up – then led to an almighty scramble and Morris eventually prodded wastefully wide.

Rovers were seeing a lot of the ball, without doing much with it, while the visitors were trying to break quickly.

One delivery from Seddon was neatly flicked on by Harrison, but Davies was able to scramble behind before Close could pounce.

And Pompey saw out the closing stages with relative ease to continue their charge up the League One table.

Tranmere (4-4-2): Davies (c); Wilson (Ridehalgh 46), Ray, Monthe, Woods (Danns 59); Morris, Woodyard, McCullough, Blackett-Taylor; Vaughan (Ferrier 59), Cook
Booked: Vaughan
Subs not used: Pilling, Perkins, Gilmour, Jennings

Pompey (4-2-3-1): Bass; Bolton, Burgess, Raggett, Seddon; Naylor (c), Close; Williams, McGeehan, Curtis; Harrison
Goals: Raggett 13, Williams 51
Booked: Bass, Williams
Subs not used: MacGillivray, McCrorie, Whatmough, Brown, Evans, Harness, Marquis

Referee: Michael Salisbury

Attendance: 6,985 (1,379 Pompey fans)