Ellis Harrison is up and running for Pompey following his summer switch from Ipswich.
The striker did not find the net in any of the club’s pre-season friendlies, but was quickly off the mark on his full competitive debut.
He bagged a headed brace in a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory over a youthful Birmingham side at Fratton Park.
The first just about managed to cross the line, while the second converted a fine cross from Ronan Curtis.
Harrison was pleased to open his Blues account and is determined to build on a man-of-the-match performance.
He said: “We had a disappointing loss at the weekend, so it was nice to have the chance to bounce back immediately.
“Birmingham didn’t put their strongest team out, but that didn’t affect the way we approached the game.
"I’ll always bring that work ethic to the team – that’s a given – and if I score as well then that’s a bonus."
“It’s good to get off the mark, but I’m not getting ahead of myself. I need to keep working hard all season.
“I could see that the ball had crossed the line and so I was confident that the officials would see it as well.
“The second one was an unbelievable delivery and the ball was put on a plate for me. I just had to get enough on it.
“I was disappointed not to get the hat-trick – you don’t think about the goals, you think about the misses!
“I’ll always bring that work ethic to the team – that’s a given – and if I score as well then that’s a bonus.”
There were just under 10,000 fans inside the ground and Harrison was delighted with the atmosphere they created.
He said: “I’ve played at Fratton Park a few times before and it’s not easy, but it’s class when you’ve got the fans on your side. They become a 12th man and it can dishearten other teams.”