It's not rocket science. Pompey can't keep relying on other teams' shortcomings in our hunt for promotion. But that doesn't mean we should be slitting our wrists after a few bad home results, either.

Back-to-back games have brought attacking bluntness, both at Fratton Park, and it's something that continues to polarise Blues' fans views on where the problems sit within the squad.

Once again, our attacking threat was carried by right-back Ben Davies and despite plenty of huff and puff from the wing, his final ball failed to meet an onrushing blue shirt.

Kyle Bennett, Rommy Boco and Kal Naismith were tasked with supplying Caolan Lavery in Paul Cook's hunt for a winning formula. Boco and Naismith, both recent additions to the Blues' starting XI, had a mixed first half.

Mansfield - sitting fourth before kick-off - were never going to roll over and, much like Stevenage, weren't coming to park the bus. They were coming to stifle and frustrate, but also expand play and give it a go. Credit to them for that.

But it was another sorry tale for Cook's charges. Run after run, and chance after chance, curtailed by Pompey's reluctance to gamble on a half-chance, or take a punt on a first-time cross from a wing that wasn't operated by Davies.

Bennett, once again, frustrated despite starting positively and showing the kind of enthusiasm that Fratton Park-goers love. Once again, his creativity wasn't hitting the kind of gears you'd expect from, arguably, a League One talent.

The ingredient to please a Pompey crowd is simple. Put a shift in, exert yourself and play without fear. Against Mansfield, I saw a mixed bag.

Michael Doyle, Danny Hollands, Adam Webster, Davies and Lavery played without said fear. But from Bennett, Naismith and Boco's stance, it certainly seemed to me like a few individuals who were scared to be caught out of possession by chasing that second ball or go more direct towards goal.

That directness, or lack thereof, is what I attribute Pompey's problem to. We play attractive, passing football which is foreign to League Two but our insistence to keep the ball out wide, rather than run at the back two, frustrates me. And I'm sure it frustrates plenty of others.

Our system sees two sitting midfielders behind three attacking midfielders - two of which forced wide to create chances for our lone striker. It's not a system I think that works at home on a narrow pitch, and when our final ball into the box isn't particularly outstanding, trying to find a lone striker makes things even less simple.

But, let's add a dose of reality to this. We're second in League Two, playing the best football we've seen at Fratton Park since 2008 and are still within touching distance of top spot.

Paul Cook and his merry men have performed an emphatic u-turn at a faltering football club, who've already failed to escape the bottom tier (at the other end) for two seasons.

I've heard plenty said about trying to find a creative player in the transfer window, or loan window, at the turn of the year. We have creative clocks in our cabinet - we just need to get them ticking.

And, let's be honest. If there's players in any league higher than ours who have that prowess and ability, they're probably playing regularly at the higher level.

I'm not sure on Reuben Reid. I'm not sure on bringing in more players. But what I am sure of is this.

We've been through the mill over recent years. The fans have worked tooth-and-nail to keep this club alive and the fact we're debating how to improve a second-placed team can only be a good thing.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

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