Pompey closed in on a place in the top six as an Oli Hawkins double downed the Dons of Milton Keynes.

Hawkins was handed a role back in the forward line with three other Blues strikers crocked and he repaid Kenny Jackett with two good finishes.

It was 2-0 at the break and the three points were never in much doubt although MK did go close a couple of times after the break.

With Christian Burgess fit to return to defence, Hawkins switched up front to cover Curtis Main's hamstring injury and Pompey made a good start which was rewarded by the opening goal just before the half-hour.

Matt Kennedy set it up by seizing on a loose ball, beating a defender and laying it on a plate for Hawkins to score his second Blues goal.

Dion Donohue, Kyle Bennett, Jamal Lowe and Stuart O'Keefe all troubled the Dons backline and keeper Lee Nicholls but it was Hawkins who doubled Pompey's lead just before the interval.

Lowe was the provider this time, with a neat cut-back that gave Hawkins a relatively simple finish.

Hawkins ought to have got his third on the hour but he missed his cue when Kennedy found him with another accurate cross, then Bennett somehow shot wide when it looked easier to score.

MK Dons had a couple of spells of pressure that saw Luke McGee earned his money but Pompey were comfortable winners.

Afterwards Jackett told the club website: 'We played very well in the first half and deservedly scored two good goals. Perhaps we didn’t get as many shots away as we could have, although we got up around their box quite a lot.

'I certainly can’t complain about being 2-0 up at the break and then we defended tremendously well in the second period. We gave too many soft free-kicks away, though, and invited balls into our box that could have caught us out on another day.

'Our first pass out of defence was also turned over too many times — they’re things that we will learn from. But we deserved the victory and it was our second consecutive clean sheet, which is very encouraging and will give our keeper confidence.

'Now we want to build on this result with two very tough away games coming up. We set high standards and need to stick to them.'

Now it's a week on the road for the Blues - they go to fellow promoted side Doncaster on Tuesday and Blackburn next Saturday.

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