Striker searching for home victory
He struggled to make an impact for Pompey at the start of the season.
But Michael Smith has certainly found a rich vein of form going into the hectic period of festive fixtures.
The striker has led the line assuredly in recent weeks and contributed three goals in the past four games.
And fans will hope he can continue to shine when the Blues host Hartlepool – who have conceded nine goals in their two most recent fixtures – on Saturday.
Smith said: “We know that anyone can beat anyone in this league and you treat every side with respect.
“We’ve seen their results in recent weeks, but the important thing is that we focus on our own performance.
“It’s our first time at Fratton Park since the Stevenage game which obviously wasn’t the best, but we’re looking forward to being back there on Saturday.
“On a personal level it’s nice to be able to help out by scoring a few goals, but I’m more concerned with the team doing well.
“I had a tricky start to the season, so I’m just happy to be back out there on the pitch with the rest of the lads.
“The quality we’ve got here is unreal and I see that every day in training, but it’s also a really good group off the pitch.
“Now it’s about trying to get that run of results together and we know we’re capable of winning four or five on the bounce.”
There is not much time for Pompey’s squad to enjoy the festivities, with their Boxing Day trip to Newport starting a run of four matches in just 10 days.
Smith said: “It’s the same thing every year – we just have to make sure we watch what we eat for Christmas dinner!”