Stoke City have built a team that has been able to find ways to win matches and this one makes it a remarkable five in a row away from home

Stoke City produced a brilliant second-half performance to beat Portsmouth, equal a club record five away wins on the spin and go to the top of the Championship - even if for a few hours.

Stoke have found a way to win games since a transformative transfer deadline day on September 1 that saw the squad completed and the team shift to a wing-back system. They have since won nine out of 12 matches, picking up 29 points from a possible 36.

This one was a scrap at times. They went a goal behind when a mishap let in Tyrese Shade to fire into the top right corner after a short corner routine – and Stoke only had one shot threw a frustrating first half.

But they found a higher gear in the second half, held Portsmouth at bay and searched for a way back level. It came following a double substitution and Luca Bombino dived in to set up Jack McGlynn for his third goal in a week.

Stoke didn’t stop there. An Ethan Galbraith shot was spilled by the keeper and Ben Wilmot was charging in to take advantage.

Stoke have only won five away games in a row twice in their long history and this is the first time since 1947, when they were one match away from being crowned champions of England. It has been a remarkable run.

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Mark Robins had made three changes to his starting XI. Ethan Galbraith was restored after his one-match suspension while Junior Tchamadeu was brought in at right wing-back and Bosun Lawal came back in at centre-half. Justin Devenny, Bombino and Maksym Talovierov dropped to the bench, where Sam Gallagher was back from injury.

The form guide suggested that the first goal would be all-important and it was the home side that got it in the sixth minute. A short corner from the left was played to the edge of the box, where Tchamadeu tackled Terry Devlin but only succeeded in supplying a dream pass to Shade, who had taken the corner and slipped past Galbraith as he came into the area. Stoke were too slow to react and Shade pinged it past Viktor Johansson and inside the far post.

It set the tone for a frustrating half that saw Johansson have to make save from centre-half Regan Poole and Odin Bailey while seeing a long ranger from Marlon Pack fizz past the top corner.

Stoke couldn’t threaten in attack. Robert Bozenik was flagged offside four times as he tried get in behind the defence. Poole, at one point, went to complain to referee Ben Speedie that Bozenik was being too aggressive.

Wilmot had a header loop past the post from a Million Manhoef cross and that was the only effort mustered by the visitors by half-time.

Stoke couldn’t find a higher gear in the opening stages of the second half either and frustration was building before Robins made a double change, sending on George Hirst and Bombino to try to inject energy and quality just before the hour mark. It had an immediate impact.

Manhoef showed skill as he took the ball from left of centre to right and passed nicely into the stride of Ben Johnson, who had switched to the right wing moments earlier. Johnson slipped in a first time low cross that was decent but looked like being gobbled up by keeper Nicolas Schmid. Schmid inexplicably let it through his fingers, however, and it looked like going out until Bombino flew in to scoop it away from Terry Devlin and into the path of McGlynn.

There is no player that Stoke would want more in that position than McGlynn and he fired home the equaliser.

Hirst thought he was going to make a key contribution too when he blustered into the penalty area and hit the ground thinking he had been fouled by Madiodio Dia but ref Speedie saw nothing wrong.

McGlynn was fouled and a free-kick given in the 77th, when he got put on the ground by Shade. McGlynn’s dead ball was sent from deep into the Portsmouth box and headed out only as far as Galbraith, who took advantage of space to send a well-hit shot on towards the bottom corner. Schmid didn’t cover himself in glory as he parried and Wilmot was there to head into the unguarded net.

That was a third goal in seven games for Wilmot, following his crucial contributions at Bolton and against Preston.

Hirst had another shout for a penalty when he ran into the area battling with Dia. Dia seemed to take his back leg but Speedie gave Portsmouth the free-kick and flashed a yellow card at the Stoke coaching staff.

But Stoke didn’t need it. They managed the second half superbly and showed cool heads and a willingness to scrap when necessary. At full-time they were top of the as it stands Championship table and the players and Robins were able to celebrate with a packed away end of more than 2,200 joyous supporters.

Here are the player ratings from Fratton Park...

Johansson: Saves from Poole and Bailey. Cool when he clambered through bodies to claim anything that came his way. 8

Wilmot: A first-half header wasn’t too far away and in the right place to bury Stoke’s second goal. Third goal in seven games. 8.5

Lawal: Restored to the centre of defence and came to the fore, particularly in second half when Stoke kept Portsmouth at arm’s length. 8

Graham: Another who stepped up in the second half and made sure that Portsmouth didn’t get into any dangerous positions. 8

Tchamadeu: A bit rusty as he returned to starting line-up and was walking a tightrope as frustration built after picking up yellow card. 6.5

Johnson: Looked more at home when he switched to the right and immediately teed up Stoke’s equaliser. 8

Soumare: A game for bluster and scrapping and he was up for it. 7.5

Galbraith: A high and loose challenge to add to his yellow card collection. Well-hit shot set up chance for Wilmot to give Stoke lead. 8

McGlynn: Scored for a third successive game. A terrific talent who also showed he can play a long pass with either foot. 8.5

Manhoef: Ran himself into the ground and showed flashes of skill in a game that was doing its best to drain that out of anyone. 8

Bozenik: Always trying to find a run behind the Portsmouth back line but couldn’t get his timing right. An individual battle with Poole probably ended in a draw. 6.5

Substitutes

Bombino (for Tchamadeu, 57): Made an immediate impact with role in equaliser and kept throwing himself into challenges that no one tends to expect. 8.5

Hirst (for Bozenik, 57): Might have had two penalties, with a stronger claim for the second when Dia took his back leg. 8

Devenny (for Manhoef, 86): Threw himself into everything to make sure Stoke got result over the line. 7

Not used: Griffiths, Talovierov, Ingelsson, Rigo, Junho, Gallagher.

Referee: Ben Speedie (Merseyside) 2.5