Pompey reserves kept the club's feel-good factor going with a well-deserved 2-0 win at Arsenal in front of watching new Director Mark Jacob.

Jacob, representative of new owner Ali al-Faraj and a Spurs fan, will have enjoyed seeing a young Pompey side with no first team experience defend stoutly and pick off Arsenal on the break.

Triallist Gianfranco Apicerni, formerly of Roma, was first to threaten for the Blues after eight minutes but he shot straight at the keeper.

Pompey took the lead after 18 minutes when a Eugen Bopp free kick was headed home by an unmarkerked Tom Kilbey.

They might have extended their lead on 28 minutes after a good passage of pl;ay between Bopp, Gael Ndululu and James Hurst but the latter's cross was easily claimed.

Arsenal then proceeded to camp out in Pompey's half, without truly threatening Antii Niemi, the offside flag frequently thwarting their efforts. Article continues here.

The game continued in a similar vein after the break, although Bopp was playing well and prominent in most of Pompey's good work.

Paris Cowan Hall set up Ndululu, but his cross was cleared by Kyle Bartley.

Gilles Sunu shot straight at Niemi after a good run in the 66th minute and Arsenal were keeping the pressure going.

It was against the run of play that Pompey broke in the 78th minute when Bopp played in Cowan Hall, and when his shot rebounded off the keeper Bopp was there to curl home a great finish to seal the game.

With five minutes left Leonard Sowah cleared from the line for Pompey and late on Luke Freeman blazed over, but Pompey held on for a well-earned win.

Pompey: Niemi; Hurst, Sowah, Pack, Wilkinson, Williamnson, Ndululu (Du Cahttelier), Bopp, Cowan-Hall, Apicerni, Kilbey

Attendance: 682

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