Paul Cook says he is getting used to the idea that teams don't want to come and play football at Fratton Park - and his team will have to adapt to it as well.
They needed two late Gary Roberts goals - one a penalty - to overcone a surprisngly-negative Colchester side 2-0 to register their first League Two win of the campaign.
Cook told the club website: 'It’s important to score when we’re on top in games like that and I don’t think Colchester offered anything going forward. They were happy to get everyone sitting behind the ball and frustrate us — which is something we’re getting used to.
'In the end it was a great day, when it looked like that might not be the case for most of the afternoon. When we made our changes we started to lose our way in the game a bit and Colchester looked their most threatening. But then we got the penalty and we ended up as comfortable winners, although David Forde made a couple of great saves.
'The reality of this league is that nobody wants to come here and have a match — I’ve struggled to accept that and always thought our football would win us the game. We need to search for the right balances, look at different formations and see how we can hurt teams more at Fratton Park. It’s not going to change, so we might have to.'
Cook added:'It’s such a long season and we’ve only played four games. The supporters here are desperate for success and I can guarantee that we want it as well. We’re all desperate to win because this is a massive football city and the people have suffered so much pain over the years. Now we want to have some joy.'
Pompey are next in action at Exeter next Saturday.
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