AFC Wimbledon 0 Pompey 1: Neil Allen's match report

And the midfielder marked the occasion by providing the assist for Michael Smith which unequivocally assured Pompey of a play-off spot.

Paul Cook’s side were shorn of nine players for last night’s trip to AFC Wimbledon, such was the lengthy extent of their injury situation.

Yet the Blues still managed to emerge from a tight, direct affair with a 1-0 triumph to put themselves within two points of fifth-placed Plymouth Argyle in the League Two table.

In doing so it banished any chance of slipping out of the play-offs, an outcome which surely would have been planted in the realms of fantasy such was its unlikelihood.

The decisive moment arrived on 35 minutes when Roberts drove in a ball from the left into the path of Smith, who took several touches before firing home his fourth Pompey goal.

In the process the on-loan striker, who came into the side for hamstring-victim Marc McNulty, netted against the team he represented for 25 games two seasons ago.

During that period he scored in a 4-0 Kingsmeadow hammering of Guy Whittingham’s Pompey, hastening a change of manager one game later.

This time he combined with Roberts – the subject of a song delivered among the 911 visiting supporters – to give Cook’s men a gutsy victory and leave them five points off the top three.

Cook made three changes, two of which were enforced, to the side which defeated Wycombe Wanderers at Fratton Park on Saturday.

Matt Clarke (groin) and McNulty (hamstring) were both ruled out of action, so Adam Barton came into the centre of defence while Smith started in the lone-striker role.

Pompey’s boss also opted to give Kieron Freeman only his second start since arriving on loan in January.

He lined-up at right-back, with Ben Davies dropping to the bench in a tactical switch.

With Blues injuries biting deep, there were substitute presences for Pompey Academy midfielders Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain and Adam May.

For Oxlade-Chamberlain it was an involvement in the first team barely 24 hours after earning his first professional contract.

Yet Adam Webster, Kyle Bennett, Ryan Fulton and Conor Wilkinson were joined on the sidelines by McNulty, Conor Chaplin, Jack Whatmough, Clarke and Ben Tollitt.

When the match got under way, the hosts won the first corner of the game on eight minutes and very nearly opened the scoring.

Delivered by Callum Kennedy, the unmarked Darius Charles connected with a downward header which Paul Jones pushed out with a low dive.

Pompey won a free-kick in a dangerous position on 10 minutes when Sean Rigg’s boot connected with the face of Gareth Evans as he headed the ball.

Yet Kal Naismith’s delivery wastefully struck the wall and Wimbledon managed to comfortably clear.

At the other end, Enda Stevens gave away a free-kick 25-yards out.

Kennedy’s delivery was headed out by Smith before Danny Hollands was tripped by Andy Barcham to end the phase.

The Blues carved out their first chance on 19 minutes when Evans met Freeman’s right-wing cross.