The Vikings made a dream start, asserting themselves immediately with territory and control. A superb 50–22 from co-captain Tom Veillard set up the early platform, and the forwards seized the opportunity. The maul surged towards the line before Jamie Dunn powered over from close range — the perfect start after several weeks of near misses in similar situations.

Portsmouth responded with intent, moving the ball wide and finding space on the edges to score twice in quick succession. Their pace and offloading game stretched the Vikings, who were forced to work hard in defence to stay in the fight.

But the home side began to reassert dominance through their forward pack, controlling collisions and possession. That pressure told before the break when the ball was worked left after a string of strong carries — Veillard cutting back inside to score to the left of the posts following sustained team pressure.

The second half began in similar fashion: Portsmouth remained dangerous when given room, but the Vikings’ structure and physicality up front kept them in control. The front five of Bray, Watkin, Dunn, M Smith, and J Smith provided their best platform of the season, with the scrum and maul functioning cleanly and consistently.

Momentum swung again when replacement coach Dan Brown came off the bench and made an instant impact. His surging carry through midfield set up a flowing passage of play that saw Callum Gladstone drive over through multiple tacklers for a crucial score.

Gladstone’s performance typified the Vikings’ spirit — relentless in contact and often the one to win metres when little seemed available.

As the game entered the final quarter, both sides traded penalties and territory, but it was the Vikings who made their opportunities count. With pressure mounting on the visitors’ line, Veillard sold a clever dummy before crashing over for his second of the afternoon.

Soon after, Angus MacCallum — who has been excellent in recent weeks — capped another industrious performance by driving over from close range after a powerful carry from J Smith had set the platform.

Portsmouth, to their credit, refused to go away. Their wide play continued to test the Vikings’ defensive resolve, and a late try brought the game to a knife-edge finish. But this time, the home side held firm.

As the clock went red, Portsmouth launched one final counterattack from deep, only for Veillard to make a decisive tackle and young hooker Henry Watkin to swoop over the ball to secure the turnover. The Vikings cleared to touch, sealing a dramatic and deserved win.

There were standout performances across the field. Luke Grigg was exceptional on both sides of the ball, constantly disrupting Portsmouth’s attack and making metres in the wide channels. Watkin, in just his second senior start, tackled ferociously and carried well throughout, showing maturity beyond his years.

Brown’s influence from the bench and Gladstone’s all-round display provided further highlights in what was a strong team performance.

The only concern for the Vikings came with a knee injury to Mitch Smith, who had been excellent in the tight exchanges before being forced off. The extent of the injury is yet to be confirmed.

Head Coach Layton Batiste will take plenty of positives from a display that combined discipline, physicality, and better execution in key areas — elements that have been steadily improving week by week.

Most importantly, the Vikings turned opportunities into points, something that had eluded them earlier in the season.

The result lifts morale heading into a two-week break before the next fixture — valuable time for the squad to recover, reset, and build further on the platform of this performance.