Nigel Atangana scored his first goal of the season to help Portsmouth end a run of five straight away defeats.

Omari Sterling-James put the hosts in front late in the first half with a low finish to Craig Braham-Barrett's cross.

The winger came close to adding a second shortly after the break, but his strike was kept out by Paul Jones.

Jack Whatmough then broke through Cheltenham's defence to allow Atangana to send a powerful drive into the net via the underside of the crossbar.

Cheltenham Town manager Paul Buckle told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:

"I gave Omari (Sterling-James) a new deal this week. He scored a cracking first goal, he looked a threat all day.

"I've learnt a lot more again today about the team. Once they scored...that was a test of character, whether we could hold out, and we did fairly comfortably in the end.

"If you give everything like we did, and if you're resilient, you have a chance to win the game, even against a huge club like Pompey.

"I've had to start from the back, I'm pleased with that, and now it's about trying to find ways that we can be a little bit more inventive around the box and have a bit more belief."

Portsmouth manager Andy Awford speaks to BBC Radio Solent:

"I think the manner of the performance today was excellent and we came with a game plan and the players carried it out. The lads showed plenty of character and dug in and fully deserved the point and probably deserved to win the game on possession and chances created.

"Not all have been dropped, that's a common phrase of a manager to say rested but I felt I had to change the selection today and the shape and I wanted to go that way after I made my mind up after Tranmere.

"I don't go overboard when we get beat and I don't go overboard when we win games but it was a good point and we are pleased.

"We showed good desire and I have to say the supporters were absolutely magnificent today and that's why I took all the players up to them at the end, it was important that we went to them as a group and showed we are all in this together and we have to stick together."