Dan Smith scored a second half hat-trick as a youthful Pompey XI beat Moneyfields 3-0 at Dover Road.
The visitors fielded a side made up of academy players, along with first year professionals Smith and Matt Casey.
And only a fine penalty save from Lewis Boughton prevented them from going in behind at the interval.
The Blues made the most of that let-off, with Smith opening the scoring from the spot before netting twice more to ensure a comfortable victory.
The visitors had some early opportunities to take the lead, but efforts from Bradley Lethbridge and Oscar Johnston failed to cause Steve Mowthorpe too many problems.
Lethbridge did better when the ball fell to him later in the first half and this time forced the keeper into a more meaningful save.
Instead it was the Southern League outfit who should have broken the deadlock after Johnston had been penalised for a foul in the box.
Sam Pearce stepped up to take the spot-kick, but Boughton flung himself to the right to make a superb stop.
That was the cue for the Blues to go on the attack and James Whiting drilled a shot narrowly past the post.
It then looked like they had a nailed-on penalty when Leon Maloney was sent to the turf by Mowthorpe, but the referee was unmoved.
Half Time: Moneyfields 0 Pompey 0
It had been a fairly mundane encounter before the break and it was no different when the action restarted.
But Leon Pitman was soon called into action, diving at the feet of Joe Briggs to ensure the scores remained level.
And Howard Neighbour also had a decent chance to open the scoring, only to send his shot flying over the bar.
Pompey were more clinical when the second penalty of the game was awarded following a handball in the box, with SMITH stepping up to find the target.
A quick break up the pitch soon saw the advantage doubled, as Stan Bridgman centred for SMITH to score again.
And SMITH then completed his treble, tucking the ball into the net after meeting a cross from Maloney.
He might even have added a fourth goal in the dying moments, only for the post to come to Moneyfields’ rescue.
Pompey: Boughton (Pitman 46); Kavanagh (Bruce 65), Casey, Mnoga (Robb 65), Kelly (Bridgman 65); Maloney, Whiting (Stanley 65), Read, Johnston; Smith, Lethbridge