JACKETT’S AIMING FOR THE HIGH LIFE
PORTSMOUTH manager Kenny Jackett set his sights on mounting a promotion push after starting the season with a gritty win over newly-promoted Luton.
Jamal Lowe’s 16th-minute goal was enough to earn all three points in front of a crowd of more than 19,000 at Fratton Park.
But Pompey were made to ride their luck as Luton were the better team throughout and the Hatters twice hit the woodwork.
Jackett said: “We finished just outside the play-offs last season and we are looking to go one better if we can.
“Some days you need to grind out results and we did that so I am pleased with that side of it.
“We defended very well, we needed to. We showed fantastic commitment and desire to make sure we earned something today.
“They are qualities you need throughout the season and they were there. We showed fantastic spirit but our general ball retention wasn’t there.
“There were a lot of positives in terms of defending and heart, but we want to build on that, create more chances and build up some more confidence.”
Luton started brightly and Harry Cornick almost opened the scoring after only six minutes when he flashed a header across the face of goal.
Lowe gave Pompey the lead against the run of play with a well-taken leftfoot finish after Ronan Curtis had cashed in a slip by Luton captain Alan Sheehan to race to the by-line and pull back a cross.
Jorge Grant hit a post from a freekick soon after Luton had fallen behind.
The Hatters were left cursing the woodwork again in the 59th minute when James Collins thundered a shot against the underside of the bar.
It took a smart save from Pompey goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray to keep out Sheehan’s late free-kick as Pompey clung on.
Luton boss Nathan Jones was pleased with his team’s performance, but admitted they need to develop a ruthless streak.
Jones said: “I thought we dominated the game from start to finish.
“To come to Fratton Park and play like that and be total dominant, I am so proud of the team. I don’t know how thick the goal posts are.
“We should have been more clinical because we had really good chances and carved them open time and again.
“I could not have asked for more, but it is a learning curve because we might have got away with that at somewhere like Morecambe, but we didn’t today.
“If we are clinical we would have come away with something and that is what we have to do if we want to mount a serious challenge in this division.”
PORTSMOUTH: MacGillivray 6, Walkes 6 (Close 59 6), Whatmough 6, Clarke 6, Brown 5, Thompson 6 (Burgess 70 6), Lowe 8, Naylor 6, Haunstrup 6, Curtis 5, Pitman 6 (Hawkins 45 6). Subs not used: McGee, Donohue, Evans, Chaplin.
LUTON TOWN: Stech 7, Justin 7 (Bradley 90 N/A), Pearson 7, Sheehan 6, Potts 6, Grant 7, McCormack 6 (Jervis 86 6), Lee 7, Ruddock 7, Collins 7, Cornick 7 (Shinnie 77 6). Subs not used: Shea, Stacey, Rea, Gambin.