Midfielder thrilled as Dons are defeated
Fans looking for a display of free-flowing football were probably in the wrong place.
But those who made the short trip to Kingsmeadow to see Pompey’s victory at AFC Wimbledon will have witnessed a performance full of heart.
Michael Smith scored the only goal as the Blues did more than enough to secure a place in the top seven.
And Danny Hollands was delighted with the way they fought so hard to secure a maximum haul.
The midfielder said: “It wasn’t the prettiest of displays, but we always knew that the state of the pitch would make it difficult for us to get the ball down and play football.
“Both teams had to deal with the conditions, so it was just a case of keeping our heads down and getting on with it.
“At times people have said that we can’t stand up to a more physical contest, but we did and also created some good chances.
“It was more of a battle, but we came through it well, got the goal and picked up a pleasing three points.
“It was a good performance overall and we were able to string a few passes together once we got into the final third.
“The only disappointing thing was that we couldn’t go on to score the second goal, but we still got the points we wanted.
“Now we need to keep moving forward and hopefully get a few more on the board before the end of the season.”
Pompey were without eight injured players, but that did not appear to have an effect on those in the team.
Hollands said: “I’ve believed all season that this squad has got quality throughout and, whoever takes to the field, we’re all united.”