Charlton 1 Portsmouth 3: Neil Allen's verdict - Battered and bruised Blues defy the odds to claim remarkable win

With a side patched up, battered, bruised and robbed of 13 team-mates currently occupying the treatment room, there was little optimism among the Fratton faithful.

Of course the appetite was there, unquestionably, with 2,504 hardy souls making the journey to The Valley for the rearranged fixture.

Yet few could have foreseen the outcome, such was the wild unpredictability of the result and extenuating circumstances behind it.

Pompey had previously scored nine goals on their travels all season, the lowest return in the Championship, while had mustered up just two wins during that same grim period,

Yet a right-back and a striker enduring the worst goal drought of his career were the heroes as Mousinho pulled off a remarkable 3-1 victory and, for the time being, ease the escalating negativity.

WIth a pair of stunning strikes from Terry Devlin, both from well outside the box, and a Colby Bishop penalty, his first league goal since August 23, Pompey secured themselves a precious win.

Granted, it got nervy for a while when Jayden Fevrier pulled one back on 64 minutes and the home support sensed a barnstorming comeback, but thankfully for the Blues it never materialised.

Indeed, by the end Millenic was appealing for a penalty inside Charlton’s box and Devlin was holding the ball up in the corner to waste time moments before a cherished final whistle.

Fully deserved too as Pompey showed the cutting edge so frustratingly missed from slender defeats against Preston and Sheffield United in the build up, with an encouraging first start in English football for Gustavo Caballero.

And suddenly the Blues are climbing the Championship again without Andre Dozzell, Conor Chaplin, Aji Alese, Keshi Anderson, Conor Shaughnessy, Harvey Blair, Mark Kosznovszky, Hayden Matthews, Franco Umeh, Josh Murphy, Florian Bianchini, Thomas Waddingham and Josh Knight.

With injuries once again forcing Mousinho into team changes, Marlon Pack was handed his first Pompey start of 2026. Ironically, that also came against Charlton, in the last-gasp December 29 victory.

With Andre Dozzell absent through the ankle problem he sustained against Sheffield United on Saturday, Pack returned to the Blues’ line-up.

In addition, Caballero replaced Adrian Segecic on the right wing, with the Australian struggling with a dead leg, yet was able to be named on a bench which included Academy striker Tayo Singerr.

When the match kicked off, Nicolas Schmid prevented the Blues falling behind after just 36 seconds, when Harry Clarke found himself eight-yards out with the goal at his mercy.

However, the keeper came charging out to produce a brilliant point-blank stop to deny the Charlton right-back.

The Blues immediately responded by winning the game’s first corner, when Millenic Alli’s shot from inside the box deflected wide, but the set-piece came to nothing.

On 13 minutes, Caballero reached the ball before Luke Chambers and toed it away, only for the Charlton man to crudely bring him down, earning a booking for his troubles.

Colby Bishop then had a great chance after Regan Poole lofted the ball into the box from the right, but the striker’s header was comfortably dealt with by keeper Thomas Kaminski.

Although, on 22 minutes, the Addicks stopper was entirely at fault for Devlin’s opener from around 23-yards out.

It was a good move from the visitors, culminating with Ebou Adams’ pass finding its way to the Northern Ireland international on the far right, who then surged forward and tried his luck.

Somehow, Devlin’s right-footed shot went straight through a stunned Kaminski, with no suggestion of a deflection, and Pompey found themselves 1-0 up at The Valley.

Minutes later, Pompey could have grabbed a second during a goalmouth scramble with Caballero seeing a shot blocked, John Swift being crowded out for another opportunity and then Zak Swanson unable to pull the trigger.

Then, on 34 minutes, Caballero had the ball on the right and his attempted cross struck the raised hands of Amari’i Bell, with referee Leigh Doughty pointing to the spot.

Bishop stepped up for the penalty and calmly struck it down the middle, with Kaminski diving to his right, and it was 2-0 to the Blues.

While Charlton’s players were reeling, the home support turned their ire on referee Doughty, who had booked five of their players in the opening 45 minutes, as well as awarding that penalty.

Indeed, the match official was vociferously booed off at half-time, as supporters vented their feelings amid a losing position.

The second half began with Schmid diving bravely at the feet of Lyndon Dykes as he burst through the middle for the hosts, who had made three substitutions at the break.

At the other end, Adams was adamant he had won Pompey another penalty following a challenge from Kayne Ramsay as the midfielder burst into the box, but nothing was given.

On 56 minutes, however, Pompey did have their third goal, with another thunderous effort from Devlin.

There seemed little danger when he collected the ball down the right but, clearly buoyed by his earlier strike, crashed in a curling right-footed effort which smacked against the inside of the post and into the net.

Made made a double substitute on 63 minutes, with Jordan Williams and Jacob Brown coming on for Caballero and Swanson.

Within a minute, Charlton had themselves a lifeline, when a long throw was flicked on by Dykes and Jayden Fevrier finished smartly to make it 3-1.

The hosts’ tails were up and, roared on by the fans, it became a difficult period for Mousinho’s men, who were forced to defend deep and were starved of the ball.

On 78 minutes, Ibane Bowat came on for Swift, moving into a centre-half position as the Blues lined up with a back five and they stood resolute as Pompey secured a priceless win.