Mvoto was like Beckenbauer

Jean-Yves Mvoto displays the skills that let him carve open the Portsmouth defence.

PAUL Gerrard admitted the Latics-Portsmouth game was “awful” as a spectacle – but after a third league win on the run was thankful for another three points.

Jose Baxter drove home the only goal of the game under Portsmouth ‘keeper Simon Eastwood in the first half as the rock-bottom visitors lost for the 10th time in 12 games.

After that, the game faded to a finish. Athletic hit the woodwork twice but the main talking point was a run by Jean-Yves Mvoto from his own half, which almost resulted in a second goal.

“It was like Beckenbauer!” said assistant Gerrard on centre-back Mvoto’s 79th-minute excursion. “It was unbelievable. As he broke through, I thought ‘he’s going to pass it in a minute’.

“Then he went to shoot and lost his footing at the end. You can giggle about things like that when you have got three points. But it was a horrible game to watch, I imagine, for both sets of supporters.

“Overall, we are pleased. We know we can play better, but we will take five more of those.”

Acting assistant manger Gerrard said the players were disappointed with their performance on the tricky surface.