Pompey showcased the strength of their squad in a convincing Papa John’s Trophy victory at Cheltenham.
Kenny Jackett changed his entire side for the second round contest against an in-form League Two outfit.
But the newcomers rewarded him with a confident display, as Haji Mnoga opened the scoring before Jordy Hiwula bagged a brace in a 3-0 success.
And Jackett was delighted with the way his troops breezed through the tie to book their place in the next stage of the competition.
The Blues boss said: “Cheltenham had a lot of momentum and have made a strong start to the season, while they’re physically strong.
“They began quickly and sent a couple of balls under our bar, but we grew into the game and by the end I was very pleased.
"There were players out there who needed some minutes and they all showed the right attitude to challenge the starting 11."
“We had a back three who were dominant – and they needed to be – and there were some good performances right the way through.
“There were players out there who needed some minutes and they all showed the right attitude to challenge the starting 11.
“It was a really good goal from Haji after turning back on his left foot and finished very well. I thought it was a really strong performance for him.
“We were also pleased with Jordy and he looked incredibly sharp, making some dangerous runs to get in behind. He’s fitted in well at the club.”
There was also praise for midfielder Ben Close, who was an assured presence in the centre of the pitch.
Jackett said: “He knew his next pass and led in that holding position just in front of the back three, picking up a lot of second balls.
“He got us passing and, I felt, was the player on the pitch who provided the most quality from both sides.”