Michael Smith's contribution to the Pompey promotion push has come in for praise after his winner against Carlisle on Saturday.

The on-loan Swindon striker has taken time to win over fans but is now showing his worth leading the line - with assistant boss Leam Richardson among those to pay tribute to his effort after the Blues' latest success.

Richardson told The News: ‘With Michael it is consistency in games and consistency in playing. He’s still a young lad and if you saw him last year playing 90-plus minutes every single week you would see the momentum he got.

‘This year, for whatever reason, he has been thrown from pillar to post. Whether he is going to get bought by somebody, whether Swindon want to play him, whether it is Barnsley changing manager — but he has come here and settled and hopefully getting the games he wants and the minutes he can perform in.

‘I saw him a lot last year, had him at Accrington and watched him on loan at Wimbledon the other season, when he has consistency he is a very good footballer and I think you will see more of that.

‘You give the lads a message they must hit the levels we know they can and on Saturday Michael did really well, as did every player who entered the pitch. It’s fitness, it’s levels of consistency and it’s belief in terms of you believe the manager wants to pick you and play you.

‘He is getting a relationship with Gary Roberts as well, which is good for the team and thankfully his hard work has paid off by getting the goal against Carlisle.’

Pompey head to Dagenham on Saturday then are at home to Plymouth in a crunch game a week later.

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