McLeod at the double as Pompey tame Shrews

The in-form striker netted in his fifth-successive match, bagging a brace as Michael Appleton’s men chalked up a 3-1 victory.

Wes Thomas grabbed the other – his third for the Blues – breaking the deadlock during an explosive second half.

Marvin Morgan pulled one back on the hour mark, only to be sent off following a skirmish within 60 seconds.

It set up a nervy finish for the hosts, despite their numerical advantage, with Gabor Gyepes twice clearing off the line.

But McLeod settled the issue during six minutes of time added on by bagging his ninth goal of the season.

A crowd of 13,051 were there to witness the victory, a figure boosted by the news of the Trust becoming PKF’s preferred bids in the build-up.

And they went home happy as Appleton’s troops made it five League One games unbeaten to continue their climb up the table.

Appleton made one change to the side which defeated Crewe last weekend, with Mustapha Dumbuya replacing Adam Webster at left-back.

Meanwhile, Mikkel Andersen was declared fit following the groin problem which had kept him out of training for the majority of the week.

When the game got under way, Thomas had a glorious opportunity to break the deadlock on 14 minutes when Gabor Gyepes’ shot from long distance deflected into his path.

The flag stayed down as the striker took one touch and then poked it past the left-hand post as Chris Weale came rushing out of his goal.

The game fell into a lull but an improbable miss by Parry on 32 minutes lit it up once more.

Dumbuya and Michalik went for the same ball, missing it in the process, allowing Marvin Morgan to gallop down the right.

The striker then looked up and squared a pass to Parry at the far post, who somehow crashed the ball first time over the bar from two yards out.

On the stroke of half-time, Pompey were indebted to Anderson for keeping them of level terms, with a stunning save from Parry’s free-kick.

The deadlock was broken in the 55th minute, though, through Thomas.

Michael Hector completely missed a ball down the middle and the Blues’ on-loan striker calmly took the ball around the keeper and slotted it into an empty net.

Just three minutes later and the hosts extended their lead when Howard fed McLeod and he cleverly clipped the ball over Weale.

In the 60th minute Shrewsbury pulled one back when Luke Summerfield’s shot was saved by Andersen and Morgan followed up with a ferocious finish from the angle.

Barely 60 seconds later and Morgan was shown a red card following a skirmish.

After that, Andersen had to push a Summerfield drive from distance over the bar, while Gyepes twice cleared off the line.

But in stoppage-time Johnny Ertl fed McLeod and he clipped the ball home to complete a 3-1 success.

League One

POMPEY 3 (Thomas 55, McLeod 58, 90)

SHREWSBURY TOWN 1 (Morgan 61)

Pompey: Andersen, Dumbuya, Harley (Harris 77), Gyepes, Ertl, Michalik, Williamson, Howard, Buzsaky (Compton 85), McLeod, Thomas. Subs: Eastwood, J Thompson, Webster, Walker, Rodgers.

Shrewsbury Town: Weale, Grandison, Collins, Hector, Summerfield, Richards, Taylor (Winnall 71), Hall, Parry, Wildig (Gornell 71), Morgan. Subs: Ward, Jacobson, Jones, Purdie, Wright.

Att: 13,051