Portsmouth began their pre-season preparations with a convincing 2-0 win over National League side Woking at Kingfield Stadium, with Adrian Segečić and Paddy Lane on target.
Portsmouth launched their pre-season campaign in impressive fashion with a comfortable victory over National League outfit Woking at Kingfield Stadium.
Adrian Segečić marked his debut in a Blues shirt with a composed finish, whilst Paddy Lane also found the net after the interval to seal the win.
Manager John Mousinho chose to field completely different sides in each half, with most of his first-team squad getting minutes alongside several academy players and a pair of trialists.
The visitors nearly took an early lead when Thomas Waddingham headed home Michael Ani’s cross, but the striker was adjudged to be in an offside position.
Terry Devlin then blazed a shot over the crossbar before Connor Ogilvie dispossessed his man and set up Josh Murphy, who fired wide of the target.
Murphy quickly repaid the favour, and Ogilvie’s fierce angled drive was parried away by Will Jaaskelainen.
The Blues broke the deadlock on 13 minutes when Waddingham threaded a clever pass through for SEGEČIĆ to calmly slot home.
The opportunities continued to flow, and when Marlon Pack robbed Jamie Andrews of possession, another Segečić effort was denied by the legs of substitute goalkeeper Craig Ross.
The Australian was thwarted by an even finer save on 32 minutes, with his well-struck shot superbly tipped over the bar.
Ross was called into action again, this time preventing the ball from deflecting into the net off team-mate Timi Odusina.
Woking had offered little threat going forward, though former Blues striker Aiden O’Brien might have tested Ben Killip had he managed to control a dangerous cross in the penalty area.
Half Time: Woking 0 Pompey 1
Mousinho made wholesale changes at the break, and one of the new arrivals almost scored within 14 seconds of the restart.
Paddy Lane controlled the ball expertly and took it around Ross, but his angled finish cannoned off the inside of the post.
He had another opportunity shortly after but couldn’t quite rise high enough to connect cleanly with Ciaran Martin’s delivery.
LANE did double the advantage just after the hour mark, however, latching onto Regan Poole’s penetrating pass and curling the ball home.
The chances became scarce as the second half wore on, but the Blues sparked into life again on 80 minutes.
Teenage midfielder Chinedu Agu demonstrated excellent determination to win possession and locate Lane, who attempted to chip the ball over Ross, only for the keeper to remain on his feet and make the stop.
Academy striker Dane Bailey then tried to add to the tally, but saw his effort pushed away by Ross in the closing stages.
Pompey first half (4-1-4-1): Killip; Ani, Matthews, Trialist A, Ogilvie; Pack (c); Osifo, Segečić, Devlin, Murphy; Waddingham
Pompey second half (4-2-3-1): Trialist B; Williams, Poole, Shaughnessy, Farrell; Dozzell, Swanson; Lane, Agu, Martin; Bailey
Pompey goals: Segečić 13, Lane 64
Woking (3-4-1-2): Jaaskelainen; Hinds, Okoli, Akinola; Ward, Turner, Andrews, Richards; Beautyman (c), O’Brien; Effiong
Substitutes: Ross, Drewe, Odusina, Parkes, Ashford, Osude, Trialist A, Trialist B, Trialist C
Referee: Isaac Searle
Attendance: 1,691 (711 Pompey supporters)
