Boss looking forward to short hop to Crawley
Pompey make their shortest away trip of the season when they visit Crawley this weekend.
And Paul Cook is pleased that – aside from treks to Carlisle and Hartlepool – they have already got the long hauls out of the way.
Also, most of the remaining fixtures are at Fratton Park, with three northern sides heading down for midweek fixtures.
Now, with just the league campaign left to focus on, Cook is hoping that will aid his side in the quest for automatic promotion.
The Blues boss said: “When we planned the season out it was important to consider what cup runs would mean and to work out what our priorities are.
“As we sit here now, that’s nice and clear. The fixtures we’ve got coming up are very favourable in terms of travelling.
“We start this journey by going away to Crawley and it’s a game we’re very much looking forward to.
“I think everyone now knows that formations will change and the importance of winning promotion is there for us all to see.
“We’ve got 20 games to go and 11 of those are at Fratton Park, so our destiny is very much in our own hands.”
Pompey are facing a Crawley outfit that are down in 13th spot, but have only been beaten twice on their own patch all season.
Cook said: “They’re an excellent side and their home form is fantastic – anyone who thinks we can just turn up and win the game is not of sane mind.
“It will be a very difficult test for us because Dermot Drummy has done a great job there and wants his side to pass the ball around.
“But if they change that then it’s up to us to break them down. We have to concentrate on our own performance rather than worrying about Crawley.
“The Blue Army will be there in large numbers on Saturday and it’s up to us to deliver for them.”
Watch Cook’s thoughts on the game below or subscribe to Pompey PlayerHD for full pre-match video content.