Boss says Blues have to stay professional
Pompey and Northampton have both enjoyed a change of fortune since appointing a new manager.
The Blues have won four matches in succession since Andy Awford took caretaker charge and are now just one point away from guaranteeing their League Two status.
They travel to Sixfields Stadium on Easter Monday to face a Cobblers side who also enjoyed an upturn in form following Chris Wilder’s arrival in January.
But Northampton still sit in the relegation places – albeit now only on goal difference after Friday’s 1-1 draw at Wycombe – and are desperate for points.
Awford, however, wants Pompey to maintain their momentum and continue to climb the League Two table.
He said: “Northampton were dead and buried before Chris came in. He’s a top manager and they’ve been on a decent run since.
“I’ve known him a long time – he’s a really good friend of mine and a very astute individual.
“I went to watch them play Wycombe on Good Friday and saw that they’re a good side.
“They’re very organised and know what they’re doing, so it’s going to be a tough test for us.
“But we’ll go there full of confidence after four successive wins and we’ve got to enjoy the game as we look for another positive result.
“They’ve had an extra 24 hours to recover from their last match, but those victories will give us the momentum we need. We’ll have a look at our squad and assess how fit everyone is.
“One more point and we’ll be safe and we can pop open the champagne, but it’s still on ice at the moment.
“We’ll continue to be professional because once we do get safe the challenge is to finish as high up the league as we can. There will be no holidays until after the Plymouth game on May 3.”
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