Pompey Academy eased into the second round of the FA Youth Cup with a convincing victory over Three Bridges at Fratton Park.

Jamie Howell and Koby Mottoh both bagged a brace on the damp south coast, while Sam Folarin and Adam Payce also found the target.

It means that the young Blues will be back on home soil when they take on Cambridge in the next round later this month.

Among the few hundred fans sheltering in the South Stand was former Olympic hurdler Sally Gunnell, there to watch her son Marley Bigg in action for the visitors.

Zesh Rehman named a selection of players who have made competitive appearances for first team this season.

They included skipper Payce, Josh Dockerill, Brian Quarm and Harvey Laidlaw, while Mottoh impressed in the Hampshire Cup win over Southampton.

And the hosts got off to an excellent start, stunning their opponents by taking the lead with just 64 seconds on the clock.

It came courtesy of a neat passing move that ended with Payce’s low delivery from the left being turned home by FOLARIN.

The action quietened down somewhat after that fast opening, with the heavy rain making life difficult.

Pompey were still looking dangerous, though, and Gabriel Kamavuako’s touch from Laidlaw’s cross was just too heavy, allowing George Mead to come out and make the save.

Malachi Osei-Owusu was not being overworked at the other end, but made two comfortable saves to keep out free-kicks from Conner Collcutt and Josh Mundy.

The Blues were more clinical and doubled their lead on 30 minutes, with a burst of pace from HOWELL taking him clear and the forward then finding the net with a neat finish.

And the advantage was strengthened late in the first half as MOTTOH raced onto Kamavuako’s threaded pass and slotted home.

It almost got even better for the hosts in stoppage-time, but Payce’s effort flew agonisingly wide of the post.

Half Time: Pompey 3 Three Bridges 0

Pompey were soon back on the attack once the action restarted and Howell did well to escape a defender in the box.

The visitors made a mess of getting his centre clear and when the ball eventually landed to Laidlaw, he could only fire straight at Mead.

And the wing-back had another chance soon after, this time shooting wide after Payce’s corner had been flicked on by Dockerill.

The Blues were totally on top and Maxwell Hurst’s header was pushed against the bar by Mead, while Spencer Spurway nodded wide from the resulting corner.

So it came as no surprise when the fourth goal arrived a few seconds later, as PAYCE confidently swept home Mottoh’s cross.

HOWELL was then gifted his second of the evening by capitalising on a mix-up in the Three Bridges box.

Some more suspect defending by the visitors provided another opening, but this time Mead came to the rescue to deny Kamavuako.

Pompey continued to apply plenty of pressure in the closing stages, with the Three Bridges side camped deep inside their own half.

And they wrapped things up when Mead failed to hold Laidlaw’s cross, leaving MOTTOH with a simple finish.

But Gunnell had reason to cheer in stoppage-time, when her son Bigg crossed for Alex Kaye to head home a consolation for the visitors.

Pompey (3-5-2): Osei-Owusu; Quarm, Spurway, Dockerill (Fox 67); Mottoh, Payce (c) (Aston 67), Simpson, Kamavuako, Laidlaw; Folarin (Hurst 54), Howell
Goals: Folarin 2, Howell 30, 66, Mottoh 40, 87, Payce 63
Booked: Kamavuako
Subs not used: Smith, Bosaka, Murray

Three Bridges (3-4-1-2): Mead; Macleod, Cowdrey, Bendell; Bigg, Mundy, Griffiths (Bedir 46), Jeffery; Collcutt (c); Hanslow (Charman 69), Ainine (Kaye 46)
Goals: Kaye 90+1
Subs not used: Bryson, Mortimer, Stewart, Tuesley

Referee: Callum Waller

Attendance: 379