Adrian Segecic delivered a landmark performance for Portsmouth, securing his first ever EFL hat‑trick as the club edged Stoke City 3‑1 at the Bet365 Stadium in the SkyBet Championship. The 21‑year‑old Australian‑born Croatian opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, added a second after Lamine Cissé’s equaliser early in the second half, and capped the night with a clinical finish from 20 yards out eight minutes from the final whistle.
The match marked a historic moment for Pompey, who recorded their inaugural victory at Stoke’s home ground. Their previous away win at the venue dated back to February 1995, when the club was still based at the old Victoria Ground.
The result also extended Stoke’s woes; despite having occupied second place earlier in the campaign, they are now destined for an eighth consecutive finish in the bottom half of the table since their relegation from the Premier League in 2018. Having already secured their Championship status, Portsmouth entered the game fresh from a 5‑1 defeat to Coventry City, a loss that handed the league title to Frank Lampard’s side. Manager John Mousinho made five changes to his lineup, including the introduction of Austrian goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid.
However, just three minutes into the match, understudy keeper Josef Bursik, who had not started since an FA Cup loss to Arsenal in January, was forced off with an injury. Ben Killip came on as his replacement, making his first appearance since a September encounter with Sheffield Wednesday.
Approximately 3,000 Pompey supporters, buoyed by the club’s recent survival in the division, filled the stadium. The atmosphere was lively, even if the early stages of play lacked drama. Thirteen minutes before the half‑hour mark, Segecic broke the deadlock. After receiving a precise through‑ball from Harvey Blair, the former Sydney FC talent took a touch before unleashing a rising left‑footed strike that sailed over Stoke goalkeeper Tommy Simkin, giving Portsmouth a 1‑0 lead and marking Segecic’s eighth goal of the season.
Stoke responded before the break, with Cissé attempting a back‑post finish from a cross by Sorba Thomas, only to be denied by Killip. The ball ricocheted around the six‑yard area, but neither the Spurs loanee Ash Phillips nor Cissé could force a goal. The visitors left the field at halftime to a chorus of boos, a reaction that quickly turned to cheers after the restart when Cissé headed in an in‑swinging corner from Thomas, restoring parity at 1‑1. Segecic continued to menace the Stoke defence.
He headed a chance wide at the 62‑minute mark, but four minutes later he seized the moment. A cross from Josh Murphy on the right was flicked by Colby Bishop, and Segecic out‑paced Ben Gibson to slot the ball home from three yards, putting Portsmouth back in front at 2‑1.
Portsmouth’s full‑back Jordan Williams nearly added a third, his effort grazing the right‑hand post of Simkin. Nevertheless, Segecic completed his personal hat‑trick later in the game, finishing a swift move with a composed finish that left the Stoke keeper rooted to the spot. The 21‑year‑old’s performance not only earned him three goals in the match but also marked his fourth goal across two consecutive games, underscoring his rising importance to the squad. In the post‑match interview, Segecic expressed frustration with the club’s recent standards, stating, "The culture needs to change.
It is not right. You find out a lot about people in bad times and we were poor, really poor. We have not been good enough to win enough games this season.
This one was abject. Things need to change. We know exactly what is required.
It is a summer of hard work." He continued, emphasizing the need for a ruthless mentality and the recruitment of players willing to fight: "We have to recruit the right players and move people on who are mercenary, don’t want to work, don’t want to train hard and then put a team on the pitch everyone can be proud of. I can’t tell you how angry I am. There is so much that needs doing to change things around.
You can’t have the tail wagging the dog. If they are not willing to fight and scrap they will have to leave.
We must get players in who are willing to fight and run and do it every single week through rain, snow and shine." John Mousinho, reflecting on his own future, affirmed his commitment to the club: "My full focus is on Portsmouth. I love being here and love the city. We have an opportunity if we get things right to start kicking on. I have had absolutely nothing from any other football club up and down the country.
I have got another couple of years here in terms of my contract." The victory also secured Portsmouth a share of the £250,000 prize pool in the Super 6 competition, which remains free to enter. Fans were reminded to download the Sky Sports app and to watch the EFL on Sky via NOW for further coverage. The win not only adds three points to Portsmouth’s tally but also provides a morale boost as the season draws to a close, offering a hopeful glimpse of what could lie ahead for the club under Mousinho’s stewardship.