John Mousinho on crucial half-time player decision which inspired third straight Portsmouth victory

The Blues put in a largely unconvincing performance to triumph 1-0 at Cambridge United on Saturday.

Yet, with the scoreline goalless at the break, Mousinho contemplated hauling hot-headed Owen Dale off at the interval to avoid Pompey playing with 10-men.

The winger had been booked yet continued to be at the forefront of flashpoint moments with United players – with home fans also targeting him.

Certainly many felt Dale should have been substituted at half-time to prevent what appeared an inevitable red card – among them Mousinho.

Yet his decision not to intervene proved inspired, with Dale supplying the 65th-minute cross for Colby Bishop’s winner.

Mousinho told The News: ‘The message to Owen at half-time was don’t get sent off. He’s a sensible guy, he has a smart head on his shoulders, and I didn't want to sugarcoat it.

‘I needed him to affect the game in the second half. Clearly he was a bit upset with all of the circumstances in the first half and I like that bit of fight in his belly.

‘I told him just be careful, you give us a huge amount and we need that rather than the side which gets you booked. We like a bit of fire, but let’s be a bit sensible.

‘There was a consideration to take him off at half-time, but we thought Owen can still affect the game.

‘That first half was a combination of things for him, he was probably frustrated probably with the way we played, as we all were, and it was quite a physical game.

‘I didn’t quite feel we were getting the rub of the green with a couple of decisions with Owen and Colby. Colby, especially, was really getting mauled by their centre-halves without getting much protection.

‘You have to keep calm heads when those things happen and I can take a yellow card as long as it does not transfer into something sinister.’

Compared to impressive displays against Bolton and Cheltenham in the previous week, Pompey’s creativity was stifled at the Abbey Stadium.

And Mousinho admitted they found it tough against the League One strugglers.

He added: ‘We hardly made any chances, it was one of those days where we didn't create a huge amount of opportunities.

‘Even though we had the ball and dominated possession, we didn’t create a huge amount – and when we do get chances and set-pieces those are moments which can change the game.

‘It was not going to be Cheltenham or Bolton, where we had quite a few chances, it was going to be hard.’