Pompey got their home campaign off to the perfect start with a 2-1 win over Cambridge Unied - despite playing the entire second half after the sending-off of Adam Webster.
The defender received two first-half yellows - the first harsh, the second deserved - to leave Pompey with a long, hard second half ahead of them.
By then they led 1-0 thanks to Ryan Taylor glancing home a header from a cross by Miles Storey, who impressed the Fratton fans for the second time in five days and was one of a number of big positives for the home support.
A classic own goal by Tom Bonner, who was unlucky to get in the way of a clearance by a team-made, put Pompey two up before Kwesi Appiah headed home for the Us.
There were one or two nervous moments for Pompey after that but Paul Jones - named man of the match by the sponsors - was assured in goal and a defence of Joe Devera, Jac Whatmough, Paul Robinson and Nicky Shorey stood up well to Cambridge pressure.
It was a deserved win for Andy Awford's side, who showed plenty of attacking flair both with 11 men and 10, and the atmosphere inside Fratton was electric throughout.
Awford told the Pompey website: 'You saw effort, desire, spirit and organisation — all the things we demand of them was there in bundles. I can’t praise them enough for that performance because they were absolutely superb.'
Pompey sit eighth in the League Two table but will have their eye on a higher perch as Northampton visit Fratton on Tuesday night.
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