Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
It's all about the pressure for Pompey.. and their rivals
Friday, 18th Mar 2016 20:15 by pompey-fans.com staff

36 down, 10 to go - time is running out for Pompey and their hopes of avoiding the play-offs by finishing in the top three.

That dream has been written off and revived a couple of times already and it's three home defeats in the past eight weeks that have really hurt their attempts to build a run that will really put those in the automatic spots under pressure.

The latest of those came against Newport County last Saturday, a result which has put Paul Cook's team under pressure themselves - pressure to win at Mansfield.

If you think Pompey need to win eight of their last 10 to finish on 83 points and secure that top-three spot, you'll probably agree draws won't do any more, not even away from home.

There are plenty of promotion rivals yet to play each other - and seemingly crucially, Plymouth, third going into this weekend's games, have yet to come to Fratton. So it is do-able, but there is no room for any more slip-ups in winnable games.

Midfielder Danny Hollands has made a difference coming back into the team and says they need to remain positive in the wake of the Newport defeat.

He told www.portsmouthfc.co.uk: 'We need to make sure we’re on our game and produce a performance like we did at Accrington. If we do that, then I’m sure we’ve got enough to beat them — even though we know it will be a tough test.

'It’s just been a case of getting our heads down and working hard in training during the week. One of the most important things for us is that we stay positive as a group because if we stop believing then there’s no point in turning up.

'It was a massive opportunity for us against Newport last week and we understand the fans’ frustration. Everyone was bitterly disappointed, but it’s vital that we get our minds back on what we can achieve.

'The manager gave us a bit of time off this week so we could recharge our batteries and now we’ve refocused and are in a good frame of mind.'

Gary Roberts is banned after his red card last week but he is the only regular unavailable, with Adam McGurk among contenders to come into his place.

Mansfield have slipped to 11th with three straight defeats but still harbour play-off hopes of their own.

Advertisement

Click here to sign up for an account and reserve your username! You can then post on the Forum and add your comments to articles

Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.


You need to login in order to post your comments

Portsmouth Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© FansNetwork 2024