Report by Ben Davis

Pompey boss Alan Ball has been saying how one day his side would take a side to the cleaners, today it was Steve McMahon's Swindon. John Aloisi and Sammy Igoe grabbed two goals each with Steve Claridge getting his first of the season. Pompey played some superb football against a side which had won it's last two games, including a 4-1 win over Oxford.
Despite a disappointing defeat by Bury, Alan Ball kept the same side with only Phillips replacing Soley on the bench being the only change. New French midfielder Jeff Peron made his home debut and Fitzory Simpson managed to shake off a foot injury to face his old club.
Pompey wanted to ditch the memory of the defeats at Oxford and Bury and went close to taking the lead in the second minute. McLoughlin picked the ball up 40-yards out and hit a speculative shot which dipped just over the bar with Talia back pedalling.
McLoughlin, another ex-Swindon player, was involved again when he found Aloisi on he right of the area after swapping passes with Claridge and Simpson. The Aussie striker cut inside to beat two defenders before firing in a low shot which Talia got down to claim. Swindon tried to push forward and had a good opportunity when the ball fell to Onuora in the area, but he fluffed his shot allowing Flahavan to mop up the danger,
The deadlock was broken in the 14th minute as Pompey took the lead. Aloisi received the ball just inside Swindon's half before charging forward and rolling a pass to Peron. He got past Borrows and chipped in a cross which Aloisi met with a fine diving header. The deadly striker was almost in again when Claridge slipped a pass through to him only for Borrows to turn the ball behind for a corner.
The score could have been level when from a Swindon corner Bullock was allowed a free header which Flahavan kept out and Reeves's follow up went wide to the frustration of the visiting supporters behind the goal. Then there was the amazing sight of seeing Simpson and Vlachos fighting with Awford having to split the duo up before they went any further. This is an incident Ball will have to deal with immediately to prevent another such incident.
After things had cooled down Pompey extended their lead with a bizarre goal. Igoe beat Borrows for pace but his touch went to Talia who looked to clear up field. However, the little midfielder continued on running and the keeper's clearance struck him and the ball rolled into an empty net. Yet Pompey's defence went to sleep straight away as Swindon attacked with Flahavan making a fine save from Gooden after a calamity of errors on the edge of the box.
Vlachos had a shot hacked away off the line before Pompey should have scored a third. McLoughlin, having a storming game in midfield, burst past a Swindon defender and was left with only Talia to beat. Instead of blasting in a shot he tried to place it in the far corner and the keeper managed to get down and keep it out.
Michallis Vlachos was feeling the effects of an injury and was replaced by Pethick early in the second half. Pompey though were slow starters with Swindon making the early running and it needed a brilliant tackle by Awford on Ndah to prevent the striker racing through on goal.
In the 62nd minute Pompey scored a third to effectively seal the game. Claridge picked up the ball on the left before racing into the area and getting in a good shot which Talia could only parry to Igoe who tapped in from three yards.
Two minutes later it was four and Pompey were on their way to a rout. A Swindon defender spooned a clearance to Aloisi on the right and his low centre fell to Claridge who sidefooted home for his first goal since his move from Wolves. Swindon though got a consolation goal straight away when Onuora latched onto Pethick's poor back pass and slid the ball past Flahavan.
Swindon's erratic goalkeeper Talia almost gifted Igoe a hat-trick in the 70th minute. He came out of his area to head but gave the ball straight to Igoe whose first time volley bounced a couple of yards wide. Claridge was then certain he should have had a penalty when he appeared to be pulled down by Reeves in the area, but nothing was given.
With 15 minutes left Swindon struck again, although there was some confusion over it. The ball went into the Pompey area where Flahavan suddenly lay flat out on the ground allowing Ndah to roll in a simple goal. The refeere needed to consult his assistant before giving the goal. The keeper needed some treatment but carried on.
Martin Phillips came on to replace to busy Igoe and he immediately gave Swindon problems down the left. With two minutes remaining Pompey added fifth when the excellent Peron slipped a pass through to Claridge and his cross was turned in by Aloisi for his ninth of the season.
For the neutral this was a thrilling game and any neutral would have been impressed by Pompey's passing which at times was outstanding. Ball has said that he wants Pompey to win by playing stylishly and today they did that. True, Swindon were pretty poor but the credit should go to Pompey and in particular their midfielders Peron and McLoughlin who were superb.