Reflecting on Hull win

In the past week Pompey have managed back-to-back home victories at Fratton, 135 of the 180 minutes on display have been top, top class with Tuesday's 2-0 win over Hull quite possibly, if not probably, the best display that we have seen all season.

Unfortunately we had Coventry, at the weekend, sandwiched in-between - but lets forget that one eh!

Appy, as did we all, wanted a 'reaction' to the poor showing at The Ricoh, and boy did we get that: 'he players knew how I felt after the Coventry game and I let them know again before training on Monday and reminded them again in the dressing room before we went out to face Hull.

'I was delighted with their response. It was total dominance from minute one to 95.

'It was the best performance since I've been in charge by an absolute mile. I think Hull had one opportunity in the game, while I lost count of the number we had.'

I think, over the entire 90-minutes, Appy is spot on that it was the best performance under him.

To be fair though - despite a few poor ones, which everyone has - we have had a good few good performances but that one ticked every box we could have ticked.

We hustled Hull from minute one, we never let them settle and constantly put them under pressure being right in their faces from the off - we definitely wanted it more, which very much surprised me given that they are challenging for a play-off spot!

The one drawback, not that it matters too much as our goal-difference is far, far superior to anyone else, was that we did not win by a greater margin as 5-0 would not have flattered us at all...

A plus from 'hammering' Hull would have seen an improvement of confidence, even more so, but just a win alone should boost this - then again spanking Hull could have seen complacency set in?

The reaction that was wanted after beating Birmingham was not there, it is essential that we get this on Saturday when Burnley come to Fratton...

Survival, in terms of avoiding relegation for starters, is something that Appy has always maintained we could achieve, well we would take a step closer if we can back this up this weekend: 'I've always believed we could stay up. I've said that after every game we've played. But we've now got to come and repeat this performance on Saturday.

'A week ago I was delighted after the win over Birmingham, but we weren't able to follow that up at Coventry.

'So my words to the players after this win were very brief. I told them to enjoy it for a few hours and then to come back into training thinking only about Burnley. It really has to be a professional job from now on in and we have to hone in on every game.'

I thought, or at least expected, Hull to give us a tough test and be the harder of the two games at Fratton this week?

Well lets hope that that proves to be the case as if Hull is as tough as it gets we 'could' be celebrating again on Saturday!

What is essential now is that we start winning games on the bounce, winning one and then losing one is no good - winning one and then winning another is what we need to start doing, especially when we have back-to-back home games, as our home games will 'probably' determine our fate when all is said and done...

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