RYAN Williams expects a hostile reception as he returns to Fratton Park for the first time since his departure last summer.

The 28-year-old re-joined Oxford United in June after turning down a new contract at Portsmouth, ending his two-year stay on the south coast.

Williams received his fair share of stick from the away section when the sides met at the Kassam Stadium just 24 days ago in a fiery 3-2 win for the U’s.

Pompey have taken ten points from four Sky Bet League One games since that defeat and came from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Fleetwood Town on Saturday, Aiden O’Brien scoring a 95th-minute equaliser.

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United are not in bad form themselves after three wins in the space of a week and Williams is relishing the challenge.

“You want to beat your old club,” the Australian said.

“I’m excited, I used to love playing there – it’s an awesome crowd.

“It will be hostile, hopefully we can turn them.

“They’re in good form, we’re in good form so it’s going to be a hell of a game.

“Hopefully we can score early, get on top of them and use the crowd against them.”

The return fixture featured 11 bookings and a red card for Pompey midfielder Joe Morrell, plus a 15-minute delay to the second half following a medical incident in the tunnel during the break.

It could add an extra dimension to tonight’s game, but Williams thinks otherwise.

The wide player said: “No-one’s really spoken about it, what happened on the day happened.

“I felt they should have had two sending-offs, so it shouldn’t have been the game it was in the end.

“They’re capable of scoring at any time with the players they’ve got, so we just need to be wary and secure and make sure when we get our chances we take them.”

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Nathan Holland’s 96th-minute strike sealed victory for the U’s in the return fixture and Karl Robinson reckons Pompey will be out for revenge.

He said: “They’ll see it as an opportunity to get back at us very quickly – I’m sure their players will be fully motivated behind that as well.

“It’s always a difficult ground, if they find themselves with their tails up you know you’re in for a difficult game.

“We know we’re going to have to be somewhere near our best to get anything out of the game.”