The Checkatrade Trophy might not be at the top of Pompey’s list of priorities this season.
But Nathan Thompson hopes their progress in the competition can coincide with a winning league run.
Goals from Gareth Evans and Stuart O’Keefe secured a 2-0 victory over Northampton, as the Blues booked their place in the last 16.
And Thompson wants them to build on that result, with a busy festive period of matches in the next few weeks.
The defender said: “The manager asked us to get about our business as we would for any other game, so that’s exactly what we did.
“I thought we produced a mature performance and it’s nice to get through to the next round of the competition.
"Since then we’ve had four wins from five games, so it just goes to show what any victory can do for you."
“We went into our previous Checkatrade Trophy fixture against Charlton on the back of four straight defeats.
“But since then we’ve had four wins from five games, so it just goes to show what any victory can do for you.
“It’s just about finding consistency and making sure we keep churning out results, even when performances aren’t great.
“We’ve done that in recent weeks and now we find ourselves within touching distance of the play-offs.”
A red card at Luton in the FA Cup last month meant Thompson had to contend with a spell on the sidelines.
He said: “It’s been a bit frustrating to be out of the team, but when they’re winning games you can’t really say anything.
“I’ve started the past two now and we’ve kept clean sheets in both of them, so that’s been pleasing for me.”