Report by Ben Davis

One win down, one to go. Pompey swept an uninterested Huddersfield side away with a comfortable victory and with results going in their favour a win at Bradford would secure safety. Goals from Pethick, Thomson and Durnin were more than enough to beat Huddersfield who have nothing to play in these final games.
John Aloisi was suspended so Mathias Svensson returned in attack whilst David Hillier replaced Alan McLoughlin who has a foot injury. The bench included three attacking minded players which showed that Alan Ball was going for the win in a big way. Before the game Andy Awford received the supporters player of the season award, the player of the month award and the Northern Blues player of the season award, well done Andy!
Pompey's players were immediately showing plenty of passion although Vlachos went too far and was cautioned for a foul on Richardson. The visitors wasted the free kick and Pompey got their first attack going through Igoe. He worked some space down the right to put in a cross which Vlachos just missed, and a few minutes later he put in another which Svensson headed over.
Durnin won the first corner of the match after battling away down the right. Igoe's cross fell to Robinson at the far post but he scuffed the shot and Huddersfield cleared. One player who was working hard was Igoe who was clearly looking to regain his old form at the start of the season. Huddersfield briefly came back into the game before Pompey won a dangerous free kick in the 21st minute. Whitbread's cross was met well by Vlachos although the ball was cleared as far as Hillier and the midfielder's shot was tipped over the bar by Harper.
Adrian Whitbread showed he was brave when he went in for a challenge with Baldry and came off worse. The captain though got back up and minutes later showed his fighting spirit by making a superb tackle on Barnes to prevent the striker going through on goal. Svensson was looking menacing and Huddersfield's goalkeeper Harper had to make a good save at the Swede's feet as he raced onto a Hillier pass.
On 27 minutes though the whole ground burst into delight as Pompey took the lead. That man Igoe stormed out of defence to find Durnin who looked up and spotted Pethick running free on the right. The wing-back didn't hit the shot as well as he would have liked but it still rolled past Harper and into the net. Some fans were so happy they ran on the pitch to celebrate with Pethick.
That took the sting out of Huddersfield who had no real reason to hit back with nothing to play for. Harper was stretched moments later when he plucked out Svensson's 25-yarder which was heading towards the top corner. The goal had clearly got Pompey going and went close to making it two when Svensson smashed a volley into the side-netting from Thomson's raking pass.
Flahavan was called into action by saving a Phillips free-kick before Svensson had a chance to double the lead. Durnin found the Swede with a great pass but the striker's first touch let him down giving Harper time to cut out the danger. Just before half-time the tireless Durnin chipped in a cross to the far post where Pethick totally miss-timed a volley which flew well wide.
At this point both Stoke and Man City were losing so Pompey had to make sure they didn't through their lead away. They started off on the right tempo with Durnin getting away down the right and finding Svensson in the area whose shot was blocked. The Huddersfield goal was under siege minutes later with Pompey winning a succession of corners which only saw a Vlachos shot deflected over for another.
Former Pompey and Southampton midfielder Barry Horne dragged a shot well wide, to the delight of the Fratton End, before Pompey did make it two in the 60th minute. Durnin battled away down the right again and won a free-kick for his efforts, although the Huddersfield fans behind the goal weren't so sure. Igoe chipped in a cross which bounced down to Thomson at the far post and the defended prodded it in.
Svensson almost made it three a couple of minutes later when he curled an excellent free-kick just over. Then in the 70th minute Pompey did score a third, and what move for it. Pethick sent Igoe away down the right and the little midfielder played a great ball to find Durnin in the area. The striker coolly round Harper and rolled the ball into an empty goal.
Igoe was the tormentor of Huddersfield again when his cross from the right was met by Svensson whose header agonisingly went inches past the far post. Igoe wasted a chance to get on the score sheet himself when he messed up a volley before Huddersfield were denied a goal by the post. Richardson whipped in a corner which Stewart rose well to meet and sent a header against the frame of the goal.
In the final minutes Robinson should have made it four when he broke through into the area but his shot was poor with Durnin angry he didn't slip a pass to him which would have resulted in a tap in. Still Pompey must be very pleased with their work and the result now sets them up for that trip to Bradford who like Huddersfield have nothing to play for.