Wednesday chalked up a deserved first win of the Championship season with a 2-0 success at Portsmouth this afternoon.

The hard-fought victory lifts us onto four points and into 22nd place to ensure plenty to celebrate for the sellout Wednesday contingent as they make their long journey home.

We looked the better side in the first half, going close after just six minutes when Liam Palmer’s cross found Svante Ingelsson and his strong header for the top corner brought an excellent tipover save from keeper Ben Killip.

However, we did go ahead on 12 minutes when Barry Bannan showed a touch of class with a 20-yard free kick, wrongfooting Killip as he clipped the ball through the wall and into the corner of the net, the skipper then racing the full length of the pitch to celebrate with the Wednesdayites.

Bannan then saw a sidefooted effort from the edge of the box pushed away while the home side turned in a weak first 45 minutes, managing just one shot on target.

And things got even better for us within minutes of the restart.

Young striker George Brown headed over from Bannan’s corner on 49 minutes and moments later he was in the right place to double our lead.

Home defender Conor Shaughnessy pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury as he moved to retrieve a Wednesday clearance into the Portsmouth half, Brown seized on the loose ball and moved forward into the penalty area before coolly shooting across Fillip and into the far corner of the net.

Ethan Horvath saved from Connor Ogilvie and Wednesday survived a penalty appeal before Yan Valery brought a diving save from Fillip at the other end with a 20-yarder.

Then, with time running out, Horvan denied Colby Bishop from a header with Dominic Iorfa blocking the follow-up, and we held out comfortably for a well-earned three points to spark joyous scenes between players and fans at the final whistle.

Horvath, Palmer, Iorfa, Weaver, M Lowe, Valery, Bannan, Ingelsson (Fusire 86), Amass, Brown (J Lowe 66), Cadamarteri (Ugbo 90). Unused subs: Stretch, Alao, Thornton, Onukwuli, Otegbayo, McNeill.