Richardson wants to build on Carlisle win
Pompey have enjoyed a successful afternoon in their battle for League Two promotion.
They did their job by beating Carlisle at Fratton Park – with Michael Smith grabbing the only goal in the second half.
Meanwhile, rivals Plymouth and Accrington both dropped points, as the Blues closed the gap on the top three to five points.
But Leam Richardson is more concerned with how Pompey perform and was delighted with their latest victory.
The assistant manager said: “We were playing a side in a good run of form, so it’s great to come out on top.
“The work ethic in this squad is first class and we were able to up the tempo at the start of the second half.
“It’s always important for strikers to score goals and the amount of work that Michael has put in means he deserves his.
“We were unfortunate not go further ahead, but then we were also fortunate at times not to concede at the other end.
“Carlisle are in a good place at the moment and are trying to play expansive football, but we’re thankful that the quality we’ve got in our side was enough to secure three points.
“We want to build some momentum and gather pace, so hopefully we can claw a few more points back on those sides in the top three.
“But what the sides around us are doing is irrelevant unless we do well, so we need to string a good run of wins together.”
Paul Jones retained his place in between the sticks, despite Ryan Fulton being available again following international duty.
Richardson said: “It’s great for him. He went away on loan following his injury and has worked hard.
“He’s come in for the last couple of games and kept two clean sheets, but that’s what we expect from a top class keeper.”
Watch Paul Cook’s thoughts on the game below or subscribe to Pompey PlayerHD for extended interviews with the manager and Michael Smith.