Boss Kieran McKenna felt the Blues’ 2-1 home victory over Portsmouth felt like a dominant display even if the scoreline didn’t indicate that that was the case.

Jaden Philogene gave Town the lead in the ninth minute with his fourth goal in two games with George Hirst adding the second four minutes before half-time, the one-time Pompey loanee’s third of the season.

The Blues looked in little trouble and the more likely scorers of the game’s third goal, however, Portsmouth sub Marlon Pack nodded in a late consolation for the Hampshire side, only their fifth league goal of the season.

“I thought it was for the most part a good performance, a good result,” McKenna said. “Dominant in the first half on most phases, apart from a little spell where we had a couple of sloppy moments that we need to learn from, but other than that a lot to like about the first half.

“Really intense, pressing was really good, worked the ball well, scored two really good goals, could have had another one or two.

“Second half, again had chances to go 3-0 up, didn’t quite get them and had to defend as a team against a good team. You still have to respect the opponent and in general I thought we defended really well.

“Of course, we’re frustrated not to get the third goal and for them to get the one at the end, but I didn’t think it was an attitude problem, I thought the subs came on and gave us great energy off the bench again.

“Some of the boys playing 90 are still working up to full fitness, so that will have had a little part to play as well in terms of us really being able to go for the jugular in the second half. But some good signs in the performance, some things to improve and we move on.”

McKenna thought the scoreline didn’t reflect how comfortable the Blues were for most of the game.

“Probably not in terms that it felt like it was a dominant performance,” he continued. “We’re still working on translating that to the scoreline because we probably haven’t done that in too many of our games. We can still be more clinical when we’re on top.

“There was a period in the first half where we had a couple of sloppy moments that would have allowed them, if they’d been clinical, to take a chance that would have been really out of kilter with the flow of the game, so we need to improve on that.

“But in the second half, although we didn’t control the game with the ball, I think we had the chances and I felt that we controlled the game pretty well without it. You don’t always get the scoreline, but, of course, important to get the points.”

Centre-half Cedric Kipre, who came in for the suspended Jacob Greaves, and 19-year-old Norwegian forward Sindre Walle Egeli made their first league starts for the club and McKenna was pleased with their performances.

“A good day for both of them,” he said. “I thought Cedric did really well against [Colby] Bishop, one of the strongest strikers in the league.

“He matched up really well to that challenge, stood really strong and showed his quality on the ball as well. Still needs to get fitter as well.

“I thought Sindre did really well. I thought it was a really good first step for him. I said to him that even for young players coming from this country stepping into this league, [not just those] coming from another country, the first challenge is just getting the intensity and the understanding of the importance of the duels, the challenges, the second balls and I thought he did really, really well on that.

“That’s the base, the talent, the quality’s there. He showed some really good moments today. We’ll find ways to get him in the game more and his influence in terms of our game on the ball will grow.

“But he showed a really good desire on the physical side of the game, the out-of-possession side of the game. That’s the base for anyone to come in and do well in this league, so it’s a good start from that point of view.”

The game is the first of three in eight days with a trip to Bristol City, who are fourth in the table following their 0-0 draw at Preston this afternoon, on Tuesday and then the big East Anglian derby at home to Norwich City next Sunday.

The Blues manager was pleased to start the run of matches with a victory, Town’s first back-to-back league wins since the end of the 2023/24 Championship promotion season.

“I think every game’s important at the moment, every session’s important,” he added. “It feels like every one’s a new experience for the group. Every week I feel like we’re building a little bit. There are loads of things going on behind the scenes that we’re working on to try and build the group together.

“Every session’s important, every game’s important. There are loads of lessons in there for the group in every game. We’ve still got quite a few in there who are in their first season in the Championship, for quite a few it’s their first season for us in the Championship, so you’re going through things all the time. Of course, it’s better when you get a good result because it’s easier to take the lessons.

“Good to get the win, but that’s the season now, it’s onto the next game really, really quickly and not too much time to enjoy it. You just get ready for Tuesday.”

Regarding Philogene, who backed up his hat-trick in the 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United with the opener against Pompey, McKenna said: “A good goal, worked it out to him well, another great run from Leif [Davis] to create the space and to give him the opportunity and he took it really well.

“We’re super-strong in that department at the moment, to be honest, and I’m not just saying it to keep his morale up, but Jack Clarke is doing terrific when he comes on, his training has been outstanding, his intensity when he came on was outstanding.

“We’ve got two top players on that side of the pitch at the moment, with Leif supporting them and we’ve just got to keep working to get better and better.”

The second goal was reminiscent of many scored by McKenna’s teams in the back-to-back promotion campaigns with the ball moved around slickly before Davis crossed for Hirst to turn home at the far post.

“We worked it really well to Leif, he ends up in a great slot with bodies in the box and nice for George to be where he needs to be,” McKenna recalled.

“There were some good signs in the first half, some good football flowing through the pitch pretty well, some different variations on what we’ve had before but some of the same sorts of thing and we’ve just got to keep working.

“There’s loads for us to get better at yet. We’re still a long way in different areas from where we want to be, but that’s normal with how late the group’s come together and we’ve just got to keep working.”

Photo: TWTD

Linkboy13 added 18:28 - Sep 27 Don't agree Keiran i thought the result papered over the cracks we will have to show more passion and desire if we are going to beat Norwich.
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Lukeybluey added 18:36 - Sep 27 I thought we played well...some slick moves and good passages of play. Kipre looks a beast in defence, really strong in the air. The partnership of Cajuste and Matusiwa is quality...They work well together. Smodicz a handful and nuisance all game. The partnership of Davis and Jaden is getting better each game, they work well together. I think we looked solid and untroubled throughout to be honest, apart from the goal. Once this team gels completely I think we will be an absolute force.

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TimmyH added 18:37 - Sep 27 Don't agree either, it wasn't a 'dominant performance'...even 1st half where we had good passages of play we weren't clearly on top, Portsmouth had 2 chances they wasted and the second half just seemed a stroll without much end product with Portsmouth having more possession...maybe subconsciously taking it easy for Bristol and Norwich games?
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Drifter3012 added 19:23 - Sep 27 We probably weren't as dominant as we should have been, but to be fair, we never really looked in trouble and always looked like we could go up a gear. Egeli had a few good touches and will grow into English football. Kipre was superb and deserves to keep his place on Tuesday. My main gripe is that we slow the match down too much when we are on top. The first 10 minutes, Cajuste was on the front foot and always looking forward, which led to the first goal but then for most of the rest of the first half it was sideways stuff or backwards. We need to keep the intensity going especially next Sunday.

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SouperJim added 19:33 - Sep 27 No idea what some of you above me were watching. We were much the better side throughout, particularly first half, Pompey only got into the game when our dominance turned a little to arrogance such was the gulf in quality. 3-0 or 4-0 would have been a fairer reflection of the game, but as McKenna says, the 3 points was the important thing. I thought Kipre was excellent. Let's hope he can play like that every week, will make it tough for Greaves to get back in the team.

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blues1 added 19:38 - Sep 27 Linkboy13/ TimmyH. What game were u watching? Totally dominated the 1st half, both on and off the ball. 2nd half, if ud read what Mckenna,said is that we were dominant off the ball. So while they had a lot more possession than in the1st half, bcse of the way we played off the ball, they were unable to create hardly anything. And apart from the corner they scored from at the end, they barely won a ball in the air from any set pieces. And thats what hes talking about. There's more than one way of being dominant.

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BlueRuin69 added 20:04 - Sep 27 Agree, utterly dominant and the 2-1 scoreline did nit reflect the gulf in class coyb
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Chalk_Cheese added 20:23 - Sep 27 Thought we controlled the game. The 2nd half we dropped off the pace I thought and looked to play more counter football. Thought Kipre did ok. Not sure why he was MOM tbh. He looked nervy first 5-10 minutes and doesn’t have great pace. Would worry with him up against someone with pace running at him. He’s a unit and won’t get out muscles much. Overall a decent home debut . We certainly play a lot of our game down the left currently. Young Wallie didn’t see much of the ball and seemed to sit back more. 3 deserved points and on to Tuesday

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oioihardy added 21:12 - Sep 27 1st half yes . 2nd half felt it was a poor 2nd half from us tbh . Not dominant just dull and inviting them to attack us
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darkhorse28 added 21:21 - Sep 27 Blues1 was Mick the most dominant manager we’ve ever had? That’s not any fans interpretation of dominant. At home, with a squad of £200 million players against relegation faves…, dominant is controlling the ball and the game, putting them under lots of pressure and creating chances…, they missed a couple of big chances, including a 1 on 1 .., they didn’t create a lot, but neither did we. We struggle to impose ourselves against anyone, and that is a problem. I can’t remember us bossing a game…, possession and chances - I really can’t. Lots of positives too as you say, Leif and Phil are the best in this division going forwards, Kipre did well, Furlong is the the best in that position (defensively) for a long while. Mats look excellent and getting better…, Jens was great on the ball, but not off it…, there’s always space in the left CDM for teams to attack …., Nunez I think will be in CDM longer term…, and wide right is still a big problem. Not all doom and gloom…, but we didn’t dominate…, can’t honestly say we deserved to win by more than an odd goal, although we didn’t dominate deserve to win. Wonder if we’d threaten anywhere near the top two, without Phil’s obvious quality? I’m not sure we’d even be close. And what was the value of the respective sides today? That is a big factor, because it shows if McKenna is elite or not .., and he’s a long way to go…, our patterns of play looked good for about 5 minutes in this game, then it was everything down the left and rely on Leif and Phil .., which is fine .., against the really poor sides. Bigger challenges await…, and lots of improvement needed. Kipre and Furlong better than Greaves and Johnson…, at defending I’d say comfortably. Especially Furlong, Bishop suited Kipre, will be interesting to see him against better movement.

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