Danny Cowley felt that Pompey’s youngsters equipped themselves well in a pre-season draw with Bognor.
Academy players Harvey Laidlaw, Jack Fox and Maxwell Hurst all featured, along with several teenage professionals.
The Nyewood Lane contest finished 1-1, with Harry Jewitt-White cancelling out Nick Dembele’s opener.
And Cowley believes his youthful team will have benefitted from coming up against a Rocks outfit who looked bright.
The Blues boss said: “Against a well organised side, I thought it was a really good experience for our younger players.
“I think our average age was something like 18-and-a-half – although Ryan Tunnicliffe dragged it up a bit!
“We had three 16-year-olds out there and I thought that Jack, Harvey and Maxwell did well. They impressed me with how they applied themselves and will be better because of the game.
“I don’t think we quite got it right in the first half, although adapted slightly better after the break and were better tactically to control the middle of the pitch.
“We had more control and there was plenty of endeavour, with Zak Swanson doing particularly well out of the senior players.
“He looked a real threat with his athleticism and quality whenever he was able to get round the outside of Alfie Bridgman.
“We also got match minutes into players and it was the first time those out there would have got 90 in the tank.”
Pompey usually visit Nyewood Lane every summer and Cowley was pleased to make the journey to Sussex.
He said: “We’re really appreciative of Bognor for inviting us to play them. It’s a great club and they’ve got some fantastic facilities.
“We have an excellent relationship with Robbie Blake and Jack Pearce, with a few of our boys on loan there last season.
“They really benefitted from their time with Bognor and are now in a much better place because of the opportunities they gave them.”