If you believed pre-match interviews, Jamal Lowe was very unlikely to be facing Luton. As it turned out, he did - and weren't Pompey fans glad of it as he got the game's only goal.

Pompey fielded four new signings - Craig MacGillivray, Lee Brown, Tom Naylor and Ronan Curtis all starting, with Lowe in the line-up after a speedy recovery from an ankle injury.

Luton started well and put MacGillivray's goal under threat once or twice, but it was the Blues who registered Fratton Park's first goal of 18-19 on 16 minutes. Curtis did well to run at the Luton defence and pull the ball back from the byline - and Lowe was in the middle to slot home.

Jorge Grant, James Collins and Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu all tried their luck as Luton sought an equalier but Pompey held out.

Brown was booked for a foul and Alan Sheehan’s free-kick struck a post.

Brett Pitman was replaced by Oli Hawkins for the second half, the skipper seemingly having picked up a knock

Curtis was Pompey's main threat after the break but Luton found the woodwork again, Collins unlucky with the shot.

MacGillivray made a couple of sharp saves before Anton Walkes was replaced by Ben Close.

Christian Burgess came on at right-back after Nathan Thompson was hurt trying a shot, while Luton's last chance of a leveller came when Sheehan curled a 20-yard free kick goalwards - but MacGillivray dived to keep it out.

Pompey: MacGillivray; Thompson (Burgess 71), Whatmough, Clarke, Brown; Lowe, Naylor, Walkes (Close 60), Haunstrup; Pitman (c) (Hawkins 46), Curtis. Subs not used: McGee, Donohue, Evans, Chaplin

Referee: Gavin Ward

Attendance: 19,018 (2,392 away fans)

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