KEVIN Nolan has revealed how the crushing defeat at Portsmouth in August gave Wanderers a wake-up call, in more ways than one.

A shambles of a second half led to a 4-0 hammering by the Premiership's new boys, prompting Sam Allardyce to sound the alarm bells on that balmy night at Fratton Park.

And the alarms were ringing in the homes of the the Reebok stars early the following morning, when they were ordered to report for a post-match inquest.

"We had a long drive home after that horrible night but the gaffer still had us in for an eight o'clock start," Nolan recalled. "I think I only had about three hours sleep.

"When we got in, he left us on our own for a good hour or so and we all had a chat about what was happening.

"We'd lost 4-0 at Manchester United in the first game then Blackburn had come back to get a 2-2 draw at the Reebok, but Portsmouth was the biggest wake up call of the lot.

"Things needed to improve and, thankfully, they did.

"What went on at Pompey is all in the past now but we still feel we owe them one after that trouncing."

Nolan believes revenge could be a big motivating factor as Wanderers attempt to redress the balance of their home and away records and further consolidate their position in the mid-table comfort zone.

"We've been really disappointed with our home form but we know what we've got to do and we believe we can put that right and give Pompey a good hiding, like they gave us earlier in the season. We played Arsenal off the park here but went 1-0 down and had to fight back to get a 1-1 draw and against Leicester we came back from giving away a silly goal to lead 2-1 before paying the price for giving away too many free kicks and corners by only drawing 2-2."

Goals have become Nolan's stock in trade again this season when he has fulfilled his promise to Sam Allardyce that, given a run in the team, he would deliver. But, for all his attacking instincts, he believes Wanderers must get back to the solid defensive performances that pulled them clear of the danger zone so convincingly in November and December.

"It's been a great season for me up to now," he said, happy to have repaid the manager's faith. "I've started all the games, bar one, in the Premier League and been involved in virtually every cup match and feel I'm getting back to my old self. I just wish he'd stop taking me off!

"I'm really enjoying it ... if you can't enjoy playing in the Premier League week in, week out, there's something wrong. But I always knew once I got some consistency in the team, the goals would come.

"But we've got to get back to keeping clean sheets. That's the most important thing.

"Once we start getting clean sheets we'll start getting the wins again ... the last time we did that in the Premiership was the Everton game when we won 2-0, but that's a long way back.

"We're doing okay but we've got to get back to that form."