After watching Pompey outplay an in-form Burnley for their fifth away win of the season, and end the Clarets' 12-match unbeaten run, manager Harry Redknapp was in no doubt about the level of his team's achievement.

Redknapp, whose side now lead the table by six points following Norwich's 2-1 loss at Bradford, said: "It was a marvellous result.

"That was our best performance of the season, in what was probably our hardest game to date.

"Burnley will finish in the top six, and to come here and outplay them when they were on such a good run was fantastic.

"Every one of my lads did a great job - every aspect of our game, whether it was work-rate, closing-down, movement or passing, was spot-on.

"It was an all-round team effort."

Redknapp did pick out debutant Steve Stone, on loan from Aston Villa, for a special mention. "Stone was outstanding - he's a top player and was our best player today.

"He ran the right-hand side and added an extra dimension to our play.

"The penalty given against him was harsh - Steve said that the ball was kicked against his arm and there was nothing he could do about it."

Many of the 1,000 plus Pompey fans missed the kick-off after horrendous traffic delays.

Redknapp said: "Our fans have given us great support today, as they have all season home and away. I'm really pleased for them; they have a long drive home and this result should make it a bit sweeter."

Mick Quinn, the goalscoring hero of Pompey's last promotion to the top flight in 1987, was enthusiastic about his old club's prospects.

"Pompey are playing magnificently and are going from strength to strength," he admitted.

"It looks very healthy for them and they have a great opportunity to get out of this division, and as champions too.

"The way they are playing it could be all over well before the end of the season, unlike us in 1987 who left it to the last week."

Pompey were on top from the first minute and the Clarets defence struggled to cope with the twin strike force of Vincent Pericard and Svetoslav Todorov.

The only surprise was that Pompey had just the one goal to show for a first half of total domination.

That took 20 minutes to arrive when Todorov set up Nigel Quashie who drilled a low shot past keeper Marlon Beresford from 15 yards.

Todorov added a second to climax a great Pompey passing movement on 58 minutes.

Then after Burnley's Dean West had hit the bar with the penalty, awarded for Stone's handball, on 73 minutes, Pompey sealed it four minutes from the end when Stone's perfect cross was volleyed home by substitute Kevin Harper.

Pompey could well have had a fourth when substitute Carl Robinson contrived to miss an open goal and defender Paul Ritchie hit the post.