Portsmouth took a giant stride towards automatic promotion on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Peterborough United at the Weston Homes Stadium.
Kusini Yengi’s second-half goal was enough for John Mousinho’s side to earn a vital three points and move nine points clear of Bolton Wanderers in third.
It was not plain sailing for the Blues, but a spirited second half and some superb tactical tweaks saw the 4000 travelling fans head home in a buoyant mood.
One of Mousinho’s masterstrokes was bringing on Gavin Whyte midway through the second period. The 28-year-old has played a bit-part role since his summer arrival from Cardiff City.
Whyte has only started one game in 2024, coming in Pompey’s January 6 loss to Cheltenham Town.
However, the former Oxford United man looked like the player fans expected, producing a wonderful assist for Yengi’s strike.
In his post-match press conference, Mousinho was full of praise for the Northern Irishman.
John Mousinho praises ‘massive’ Gavin Whyte Portsmouth impact
Mousinho initially admitted it’s been a tough season for his former teammate: “Gavin hasn’t had the easiest of seasons for various factors, but he has trained well the last couple of weeks and got his chance on Tuesday night as well,” he told Portsmouth’s X account.
On his impact against Posh, he added: “He made a massive impact today. He was our first tactical sub, and I thought he was really good for half an hour. The only thing he didn’t do was put the ball in the back of the net. He got the assist and was really lively. That’s what you want to see from Gav.”
Most Portsmouth fans will be delighted for Whyte. He arrived as a marquee signing but has found it hard to contend with the form of Paddy Lane and Abu Kamara.
His Peterborough cameo is a taste of what to expect. His close control and decision-making were superb on Saturday and ultimately contributed to Pompey’s three points.
With Lane missing the London Road clash, Whyte could see more first-team chances appear between now and the end of the season.