INTERIM Latics boss Richie Wellens is certainly learning fast.

After stating this week that frontman Eoin Doyle – who he rates as the best striker in the division – would miss this clash on the south coast with a pulled muscle, the on-loan Preston poacher found himself in the starting line-up after all. Not only that, he opened the scoring here on 16 minutes.

A miraculous recovery . . . or mind games from the manager? You decide.

At this famous old stadium full of atmosphere and character – the players must love playing at grounds like Fratton Park – it was the visitors, fresh from Tuesday’s impressive 3-2 victory over Peterborough, who started the brighter.

That man Doyle almost gave Latics the lead after only three minutes. His left-footed shot from outside the box striking a post following neat build-up play from Jack Byrne.

Whether Dutch superstar Clarence Seedorf – rumoured to have been interviewed for the manager’s position this week – does end up taking over, Wellens should feel very proud of himself. Latics are team playing in his own image.

While not quite the “total football” made famous by the Dutch, Wellens has his men – appropriately kitted out in orange – playing it out from the back, taking on their men, prompting as a team and and all on the deck.

It was no surprise when Doyle gave this dangerous looking Latics side a deserved lead on 16 minutes, finishing well after good work from Davies.

Pompey were looking shaky at the back – a miscommunication leading to a sickening clash of heads and a lengthy stoppage as Nathan Thompson left the field on a stretcher after being laid out by Drew Talbot midway through the half.

Talbot was himself seemingly still seeing stars shortly before the half-hour mark – this time Nepomuceno almost able to capitalise.

By now Latics were playing some delicious stuff, knocking it around with a confidence belying their lowly league position.

Byrne was next to have a pop – his fierce strike brilliantly tipped over the bar by Luke McGee in the home goal.

As good as Latics looked going forward, on one rare occasion Portsmouth did break through their back line, Jamal Lowe fired a warning, striking an upright from close range six minutes before half time as Kean Bryan waited for an offside flag that never came. Latics began the second half just as they left off and it took Doyle just two minutes after the restart to double the advantage, calmly lifting an effort over the on-rushing keeper after pouncing on a loose ball.

Pompey’s 60th-minute substitute Kyle Bennett looked like he might be a lively customer. He’d been on the pitch barely a minute when he worked a neat one-two before lofting a shot over the bar.

Pitman then bent a free kick over the top after the tricky Bennett was brought down on the edge of the area.

Pitman pulled one back with a minute to go ensuring a nervy finish but the equaliser didn’t come – despite EIGHT added minutes.

The journey home for the 466 travelling fans would not now seem half as long.

Latics (3-5-2): Placide, Dummigan, Clarke, Bryan; Gardner (Banks 78), Fane, Hunt, Nepomuceno (Omrani 65), Byrne; Doyle, Davies. Subs not used: Ruddy, Gerrard, Edmundson, Menig, Obadeyi.