It was his first League One start for Pompey since the opening day of the season.
But Ryley Towler fitted seamlessly into a back three to help the table-toppers keep a clean sheet at struggling Fleetwood.
That meant a fine strike from Abu Kamara midway through the first half was enough to secure victory on the Fylde coast.
And while he was delighted to be given an opportunity to impress, the result provided more satisfaction for Towler.
He said: “It was great to get all three points and I thought the boys were excellent – we put our bodies on the line.
“We had to dig deep and we knew it was a tough place to come and win. It didn’t matter how we did it.
"You want to be playing all the time, but the boys have been outstanding, so I can’t really complain."
“In the first half we played some really good football, but they went long after the break and we dealt with that well.
“As a defender, you always want to keep a clean sheet. The most important thing, though, is to win the game.
“It was nice to see all the fans in the away end making so much noise and it felt like we had more than Fleetwood. It’s some trek, so to be able to send them home happy is quality.
“Being back out there on the pitch was a great feeling for me. You want to be playing all the time, but the boys have been outstanding, so I can’t really complain.
“I just had to keep grafting away in training every day and be ready because you never know when you’re going to be called upon.
“The gaffer told me to go out there and enjoy it, while doing a job for the team. Thankfully, that’s what I did.
“Now we all just need to have a good hard week on the training pitches and be ready to go again on Saturday.”