Wycombe Wanderers got back to winning ways in League Two with a gutsy 1-0 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Portsmouth.

Scott Kashket scored the only goal on 48 minutes when his shot from the edge of the area took a wicked deflection past David Forde in the Pompey goal.

In a very tight affair at Adams Park, Gareth Ainsworth started the exactly the same team which began at White Hart Lane last Saturday in a bid to avenge the defeat to Exeter in midweek.

The visitors made a blistering start to the game and should have gone ahead after 10 seconds when Gary Roberts slipped in Jamal Lowe but he shot wide with just Jamal Blackman to beat.

Wycombe responded well and had their first chance on three minutes when Blackman’s long free kick found Adebayo Akinfenwa. He controlled it expertly but blasted straight at Forde.

Pompey were starting to up the tempo midway through the first half and were awarded two corners in quick succession, the second one in particular caused havoc when Christian Burgess headed over when he should have done better.

The visitors had a great opportunity to take the lead on the half hour mark when a lovely bit of skill by Eoin Doyle sent him clear of the Wanderers defence but he could only shoot tamely at Blackman.

A minute later, Blackman made an excellent save when left-back Enda Stevens burst through but the Wycombe stopper produced a good black to deny him.

The game was livening up a fraction and the away side were getting on top. Gareth Evans ripped a shot wide from 20 yards on 36 minutes as the visitors continued to harass Wycombe.

Wanderers had a half-chance on 38 minutes when Joe Jacobson whipped in a free kick but Anthony Stewart headed tamely at Forde.

A real talking point occurred on the 40th minute when Luke O’Nien put Scott Kashket through on goal but a combination on Stevens and Matt Clarke denied him a run on goal.

From the resulting free kick, Sido Jombati’s 20 yard effort went straight into Forde’s hands.

Kashket then made the breakthrough before Burgess then almost gifted Wycombe another goal two minutes later when he headed over Forde but the goalkeeper got back to scramble it off his line.

The Chairboys had stepped up the tempo and Sam Wood had a strike from long-range on 54 minutes which Forde grabbed at the second attempt.

Portsmouth had still yet to really test Blackman in the second half but twice Gary Roberts got in down the left only to find the hands of the Wanderers stopper on both occasions.

Paul Cook’s side continued to probe at the Wanderers backline but the home side were holding firm.

The visitors then had a golden opportunity on 73 minutes when hesitation from Blackman and the defence let to Carl Baker hitting it over when it was easier to score.

Wanderers were working extremely hard to preserve their lead and had a good chance to extend it when Dominic Gape found Akinfenwa on 75 minutes but his usual assured finishing let him down.

Blackman again stood up well for Wanderers when he denied Doyle from close range on 85 minutes.

Referee Graham Salisbury awarded eight minutes of injury time and Pompey were being repelled time and again by excellent defending, led by Anthony Stewart.

Gareth Ainsworth’s men held on superbly for an terrific win and now they can look forward to their Checkatrade Trophy semi-final against Coventry on Tuesday night.

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Blackman, Jombati, Stewart, Pierre (sub: De Havilland, 60), Jacobson, Gape, O’Nien, Wood, Hayes (sub: Saunders, 46), Akinfenwa, Kashket (sub: Thompson, 89). Subs: Richardson, Bean, Weston, Jakubiak.

PORTSMOUTH: Forde, Evans, Stevens, Burgess, Clarke, Doyle, Linganzi, Bennett (sub: Naismith, 72), Roberts, Lowe (sub: Baker, 72), Doyle.  Subs: O’Brien, Rose, Whatmough, Chaplin, Hunt.

ATTENDANCE: 6,028

REFEREE: Graham Salisbury