Caretaker boss demands desire against Wycombe
A backs-to-the-wall performance was just what Pompey needed to end a run of five successive defeats.
But Andy Awford is determined not to let the Blues rest on their laurels following a goalless draw at Hartlepool.
Wycombe visit the south coast on Wednesday, six weeks after their original visit was halted by freak weather conditions.
And Awford wants to see his troops play with the same level of commitment they showed at the weekend.
The caretaker Blues boss said: “I told the lads that they did well on Saturday – and now they have to do it again.
“When we run out against Wycombe, there has to be that same desire to keep the ball out of the net.
“We can’t afford to switch off like we did against Southend last week. We have to keep our concentration from first minute to last.
“They’ve done it for one game, but it needs to be over a long period of time. It can’t be let three in then keep a clean sheet, then let four in, then keep a clean sheet.
“There have been too many spikes on the graph and we need to be more linear, more consistent.
“We’ve shipped far too many goals this season and you won’t go up the table if you keep on conceding the type of goals that we have.”
Wycombe came to Fratton Park in fine form in October, but have failed to win in the league since.
Awford said: “They’re a good side. They haven’t done too well recently, but it will be a tough game and we’ll have to be at our very best to get a result.
“I had done a couple of scouting reports on them for Guy before the first match, so I’m fully aware of what they do and how they do it.”
Patrick Agyemang, Tom Craddock, Simon Ferry and Thery Racon all sat out the Hartlepool match, but Awford has no new injury concerns.
He said: “There are a couple of players that we’ll have to assess, but it will be a big ask to chuck any of them straight back in.
“So I don’t see too many changes outside of the squad that I picked from on Saturday.”