It was a dream Pompey debut for Brett Pitman.
The newly-appointed skipper bagged a brace as the Blues opened the new campaign with a 2-0 victory over Rochdale.
He sent the Fratton Park crowd wild with a goal in the first minute of the second half, driving in from the left and finding the net.
Pitman then wrapped things up in stoppage-time when he showed great aerial ability to convert Gareth Evans’ cross.
“It was a bit of a scrappy game,” said the striker. “But the important thing is that we ended up with all three points.
“At half-time the manager just told us to keep going and carry on doing the right things.
"It was nice to score so early in the second half because it just settles everyone down a bit."
“I broke down the left and managed to cut inside. Maybe I got a little bit lucky, but I managed to get a shot through bodies and into the bottom corner.
“Obviously it was nice to score so early in the second half because it just settles everyone down a bit.
“It would have been nicer to get the other a little earlier and then we could have enjoyed it a little bit more.
“We’re a work in progress and the manager’s only had around five weeks to get his ideas across to the players. But if you can win games while you’re improving then that’s great.”
Both sides had a player sent off, with Keith Keane dismissed with the game goalless in the first half, while Jamal Lowe saw red late on.
Pitman said: “The sending off didn’t really seem to help us that much, although maybe it had an effect later in the game.
“The Jamal one was a bit unlucky and obviously he didn’t mean to make contact, but I’m sure he’ll be alright.”