Gaffer: I had niggling feeling Portsmouth fans had been hyping up Spurs loanee too much - Peterborough showed I was wrong

Did you enjoy your Saturday?

We deserved to beat Peterborough, not a single player dropped their heads, even when 1-0 down. They encouraged each other, they motivated each other.

I don’t think Josh Griffiths even had that much to do apart from that first half finger-tip save from Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Before the game I was saying we needed to be taking points from those in the top eight – and I don’t mean draws. It has to be wins, draws won’t take you anywhere.

You get wins and it creates a gap between the others. If we can beat Barnsley next weekend, I think you’ll start to see us, Ipswich and Sheffield Wednesday began to pull away.

What are your thoughts on the Fratton Park atmosphere?

Last season the fans would have got on players’ backs after conceding in the fifth minute following a defensive mistake.

But on Saturday, instead they became louder and louder and louder. This cohesive unit represents the symbiotic state of the fans and the players – what affects one, affects the other.

Peterborough turned us around before the game so we couldn’t attack the Fratton End in the second half, which we like, but it incentivised the fans to get behind the team more.

There was no nervous energy within the fanbase, so much positivity is going around Fratton Park at the moment. The togetherness is superb.

Who was your man of the match?

Dane Scarlett will be operating as a Premier League starter in 2-3 years, you mark my words.

He is playing beyond his years now. Name another 19-year-old striker scoring with a diving header of that quality in either the Premier League or Championship.

Although you could previously see the potential there, I still had that niggle that we’ve been hyping him too much. On Saturday, I was convinced there’s no hype!

When I’ve been coaching different age groups, I’m always telling the lads that you can manage one or two touches in the 18-yard box before shooting – nothing more than that.

And Scarlett demonstrated that beautifully for the winner.

What did you make of Pompey’s business in the transfer window?

You can’t say the Cowleys haven’t been backed, that’s 12 signings in one window.

What I feel has been missed when evaluating our window is the basis for it being so strong is re-signing so many from last season, such as Sean Raggett, Michael Jacobs, Louis Thompson and Reeco Hackett.

Without them there would have been a massive rebuilding programme – but we have used that as the foundation.

Of those who have come in, in addition to Scarlett, Colby Bishop is a player I’ve wanted at Fratton Park for the last two seasons, Marlon Pack is a Rolls-Royce in midfield and Michael Morrison a colossus at the back.

Josh Griffiths – 7

Joe Rafferty – 7

Michael Morrison – 7

Sean Raggett – 8

Clark Robertson – 8

Owen Dale – 8

Marlon Pack – 8

Tom Lowery – 7

Ronan Curtis – 7

Colby Bishop – 8

Dane Scarlett – 9