It will be no Stanley stroll for Pompey
Jed Wallace has dismissed suggestions that a visit to Accrington Stanley could be one of Pompey's 'easier' games - saying they can be a match for almost anyone at the Crown Ground.
The Blues head to Accrington looking to get another unbeaten run going after their last seven-match loss-less sequence came to an end at the hands of Ricky Holmes at Northampton on Tuesday night.
Wallace insists it will be a stiff test and told the Pompey website: 'I think some people have a perception that they’re not the best side because they don’t get a lot of fans.
'But — apart from when they lost 5-1 to Northampton — I think you’ll struggle to find many times when they’ve lost at home by more than one goal. Whether you’re playing in front of 50 people or 50,000 it’s still 11 v 11 and they’re a decent side.
'It will be a tough game, but we’ve got to make sure we take some of our recent good performances into the game. We’re looking to bounce back from our defeat on Tuesday because we haven’t done that on enough occasions this season.'
The Pompey camp are quick to say no-one's thinking about the play-offs and after they followed their run of four wins in six with a 0-0 draw with Oxford and the narrow loss at Sixfields, that's probably sensible.
Nevertheless, with the games coming thick and fast in March, there's still the chance to flirt with the race to finish in the top seven.
Pompey head to the north west this weekend nine points behind Newport - who are seventh - and any more slip-ups could end their hopes once and for all.
James Dunne is pushing for a return to midfield while Awfors is checking on Jack Whatmough's fitness ahead of a decision on who should replace Ben Chorley in defence.
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