A goal in each half by Kal Naismith and sub Gary Roberts gave Pompey their fifth win in six and kept them six points clear in League Two's third automatic promotion spot.

The win was important, with the likes of Stevenage and Exeter keeping up the pressure behind them in the table, but was overshadowed by a serious injury to Noel Hunt, who was stretchered off at the end of the first half.

Paul Cook brought in Christian Burgess, Jamal Lowe and Noel Hunt and in a very open start to the game, Naismith threatened an early goal for the Blues while Nathan Thomas glanced a header wide at the other end.

Pompey led on 17 minutes. Seconds after Enda Stevens set up Naismith for one that went narrowly wide, the same combination worked a treat as the left-back set up the Scot for a volley that gave Pools keeper Joe Fryer no chance.

Hunt stretched in vain to meet a cross then tested Forde from 20 yards but the striker's game was over in first-half stoppage time when he fell awkwardly and had to be taken away on a stretcher, possibly having hurt his shoulder or arm. Roberts replaced him.

Thomas was so close to an equaliser when he struck the post with David Forde beaten and Matt Clarke did well to block the follow-up effort.

Roberts was too high with an effort from another Stevens cross but then did make it 2-0, finishing conclusively after Naismith saw a shot blocked then set him up in the box when the rebound came back to him.

Pompey looked the most likely to get the game's third goal and Naismith very nearly did, hitting the post, and there were late appearances for Conor Chaplin and Nicke Kabamba but the Blues could not add to their tally.

Plymouth's home defeat to Accrington leaves Cook's team four points behind Argyle and eyeing up a charge for second spot, while the Blues tally of 71 points with six games to go gives them an advantage of six points over Stevenage, eight over Luton and nine over Carlisle and Exeter.

Next up, it's Yeovil at Fratton Park next Saturday.

Pompey: Forde; Evans, Burgess, Clarke, Stevens; Rose, M.Doyle; Lowe (Chaplin 80), Naismith (Kabamba 90), Bennett; Hunt (Roberts 45+5). Subs not used: O’Brien, Talbot, Whatmough, Linganzi

Referee: Mark Brown

Attendance: 4,500 (977 Pompey fans)

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