KEVIN PHILLIPS admitted the players had been desperate to win for head coach Steve Wigley.

Speculation was rife that anything less than three points against Pompey would have cost Wigley his job and Phillips was delighted to head home the winner.

"It's a big result for everyone and I'm most pleased for the manager," said Phillips. "It takes that monkey off his back and it's now important that we go forward.

"The lads have faith in him, they respect him and hopefully he will be left alone now.

"It has not been his fault. It is the players that have got to do the job.

"We felt for the manager. He has worked so hard, he's so enthusiastic, he's an excellent coach, he's a fantastic fellow."

Phillips started on the bench with Wigley opting for Dexter Blackstock and James Beattie up front, but the former England international said he had no argument with the head coach's decision to drop him.

"I have no problem being left out and I'm certainly not going to throw a wobbler about it," he said.

"The two that got picked - James and Dexter - did exceptionally well. Obviously I was wishing to get on and thinking we could have a chance to score the winner.

"But it was important for the team, not just me.

"It was a great free-kick from Jason Dodd and I just managed to get my head on it.

"Obviously I'm delighted to score but I'm more delighted to get the three points."

Phillips said the players had been determined to put the Watford debacle behind them and feels it can be the ideal result to finally kickstart the season.

"Now we hope to go on a run," he said.

"We all knew that it was a big, big opportunity to put things right and turn the season around and we are all delighted.

"We said after the game on Tuesday that Saturday was a great opportunity to turn our season around.

"Tuesday was abysmal - we had a meeting among ourselves and ironed out a few truths."

Phillips said the game-plan had always been to play at a high-tempo and not allow the Portsmouth players to settle.

He said: "We did well, we completely pressurised them. We were in their faces, which was our game plan because they have got players who can hurt you if they get time and space.

"They got off to a great start but the lads showed great character to come back."