'Three more wins could be enough for Pompey'

Portsmouth are nine points clear of the relegation zone

A benchmark of 13 wins in any given Championship season usually guarantees divisional status for the following campaign.

With that in mind, John Mousinho's side need to find just three wins from their remaining 12 fixtures to all but meet that threshold.

A slightly better return from the remaining dozen league matches would mean Pompey would stay up with interest.

Three wins on the bounce in the Championship is an incredibly difficult feat to achieve - you have to look as high as seventh-placed Coventry City for another team with nine points from their last three games.

QPR's trip to Fratton Park was perhaps the hardest I've seen the boys work in a single game so far this season - and the moment the full-time whistle blew, seemingly half of the XI wearing blue shirts collapsed to the ground in a mixture of exhaustion, injury and relief.

It was another occasion when Pompey's overall performance was far from eye-catching yet there was an underbelly of impressive showings from individuals all over the pitch.

Matt Ritchie's goal tally creeping up, an assist for Andre Dozzell and a creative, live-wire performance from Adil Aouchiche were three subtle standouts from Saturday.

The headline-grabbing Josh Murphy continues to shine as Pompey's flagship attacking outlet - a player who, certainly from an opposition's perspective, is instruction immune.

No matter how many managers drip feed their left-back on how Murphy is not allowed to cut in on the right, in piping-hot form and with such an eye for the target, there is no stopping him whatsoever.

A final mention from me is for the heroism of Hayden Matthews.

He picked up a seemingly innocuous issue with a good 10 minutes to play plus what felt like never-ending time beyond the regulation 90. This meant a young man who could hardly move hobbled around as a number 9 for as much as he could give.

It was what can only be defined as a proper 'Pompey effort' from him - giving it absolutely everything right to the very end.

Not a wonder really that the Fratton faithful have so duly taken to the lad.

A season-defining away day awaits Pompey at Kenilworth Road this weekend. Back-to-back away wins, considering some of the low points suffered on our travels this season, would be a sensational moment in our story back in the second tier to date.

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