Kenny Jackett is looking to build momentum during a busy opening to the new campaign.
There was a gap of 10 days between the Carabao Cup victory at Stevenage and tonight’s EFL Trophy contest against Colchester.
But the games soon come thick and fast, as the delayed start means some early congestion to get through.
Much of the focus will naturally turn to the weekend, with Shrewsbury visiting the south coast to begin the League One campaign.
And Jackett hopes his side can enter that contest in a positive frame of mind by beating Colchester this evening.
The Blues boss said: “The Stevenage game felt a bit in isolation, while this one is at the beginning of a run, so it feels like the start of the season.
“We’ve got Shrewsbury, Brighton and then Rochdale all coming up in quick succession after tonight, with three different competitions.
"Not having a match last Saturday ensures that we go into this week feeling fresh and there should be a lot of enthusiasm as we return to Fratton Park."
“Our priority is the league – we always know that – but we want to win every game that comes along and this one is no different.
“Not having a match last Saturday ensures that we go into this week feeling fresh and there should be a lot of enthusiasm as we return to Fratton Park.
“We want to avoid any injuries if we can and also look to build some rhythm because you want to make a fast start to the season.”
Pompey are the EFL Trophy holders following their victory over Sunderland in 2019, while last season’s final against Salford is still to be played.
Jackett said: “We want to build a good platform for that first League One game, while we’ve also used this competition to develop players.
“You look at Alex Bass’ performances last season and that set him up for getting into the team on a regular basis.
“It can be a good tool for building for the future and there’s the potential for a trip to Wembley at the end of it all.”
🏠 A first run out at Fratton this season 🙌
— Portsmouth FC (@Pompey) September 8, 2020
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