Pompey take on Bury at Fratton Park tomorrow knowing that a second successive victory will see them leapfrog their opponents in the League One table.
Team News
Shaun Cooper is available again but Sam Sodje serves the final match of his three game ban. Patrick Agyemang is set to continue up front after his loan spell was extended today but David Connolly will be assessed after taking a knock at Crewe last week.
Bury have two influential players missing in midfielder Tom Soares and defender Stephane Zubar. That means that ex-Pompey midfielder Valery Mezague could play against his former club tomorrow.
The Match
Last weekend's victory at Crewe was special. The demons of the 24 game winless run had finally been put to rest and you could see what it meant to everyone associated with Portsmouth Football Club.
There has been more good news this week as PKF have exchanged contracts with the Portsmouth Supporters' Trust which means that the club will be bought on the condition that April's court case goes PKF's way and Portpin are forced to give up their charge on Fratton Park.
That should mean a slightly larger attendance for tomorrow's match and a much happier atmosphere around the ground.
Of course, barring some miracle Pompey will be starting League Two with a points deduction next season but there is an incentive tomorrow to come off the bottom of the league and be replaced with Bury with any sort of win as Pompey have scored more goals than the Shakers.
Bury's recent form has not been good but their two most recent victories were at home to promotion chasing Doncaster and away at Swindon so they cannot be taken lightly.
However, given that they are struggling to score goals and seem vulnerable to conceding very cheap goals then there is every possibility that this Pompey team, one that has a much more settled look about it, can pick up another morale boosting victory.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups
Pompey
GK: Simon EASTWOOD
RB: Yassin MOUTAOUAKIL
CB: Ricardo ROCHA
CB: Gabor GYEPES
LB: Dan BUTLER
RM: Liam WALKER
CM: Johnny ERTL
CM: Therry RACON
LM: Jed WALLACE
CF: Patrick AGYEMANG
CF: David CONNOLLY
Bury
GK: Trevor CARSON
RB: David WORRALL
CB: Ashley EASTHAM
CB: Ethan EBANKS-LANDELL
LB: Joe SKARZ
RM: Craig JONES
CM: Zac THOMPSON
CM: Steven SHUMACHER
LM: Mark CARRINGTON
CF: Nicky AJOSE
CF: Craig FAGAN
Last Time: Portsmouth 2 Bury 1 (Division One - 13/02/1999)
Goals from Matt Robinson and the current Pompey manager in Guy Whittingham were enough for Alan Ball's men to win despite Avdiu's strike for the visitors.
My Prediction
The monkey on the proverbial back has been disposed of and the defence has improved in recent weeks. If Agyemang can reproduce the performance from Saturday and others Ertl's lead after he bossed the Crewe game I believe this will be another win for the blues.
Portsmouth 2 Bury 0