No-one will be getting too excited but a win's a win and Pompey are three games from Wembley.

They beat Northampton 2-0 in the last 32 of the Football League Trophy with goals by Gareth Evans and Stuart O'Keeffe.

Only 1,780 turned out to watch it - another sign that there is very little public appetite for this competition.

The opening goal came a few minutes before the break when Brandon Haunstrup - looking increasingly at home in this team - started a move that Evans and Conor Chaplin continued, with Evans finishing it by converting Chaplin's ball into the box.

Midway through the second half the Blues made it safe when Nathan Thompson set up O'Keeffe for 2-0.

The Cobblers never looked like getting back into it and if anyone was going to score another, it was Pompey.

Blues assistant boss Joe Gallen told the club website: 'Looking back over the full 90 minutes I felt it was a comfortable victory and one that was well deserved. Their keeper also made some good stops — there was a 30-second period when he made three in a row.

'The group is very spirited currently and there’s a lot of unity in the dressing room — you can see that on the pitch. You can have great players, but it’ll be tough if they don’t get on. You need that willingness to work hard for each other and it bodes well that we’ve got that.'

Pompey (4-2-3-1): McGee; Thompson, Burgess, Clarke, Haunstrup (Talbot 69); O’Keefe, Rose; Evans (c), Chaplin, Lowe (Kennedy 88); Main. Subs not used: Bass, Casey, May, Bennett, Lethbridge

Referee: Tom Nield

Attendance: 1,780 (128 away fans)

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Photo: Action Images

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