Pompey switch their attention from the battle for points to the quest for Carabao Cup progress this evening.
Danny Cowley takes his troops to The Den to face Championship outfit Millwall in a first round contest.
It comes off the back of an opening day League One victory at Fleetwood that saw more than 1,000 fans make the long trip north.
And with Pompey having sold out their allocation of tickets yet again, Cowley is impressed with their dedication.
The Blues boss said: “The next game is always the most important one for me, although – I’m not going to lie – it comes at a time when we’ve got a small squad.
“That’s a challenge for us at the moment and we do have to try to navigate through this period intelligently.
“But it’s a great competition and we’ve had success in the cups with different clubs that we’ve been at in the past.
"I’m expecting a brilliant atmosphere. The fans that travelled to Fleetwood were excellent and I’m glad it’s a bit nearer for them this time."
“We’re excited to go to The Den and it’s a brilliant place to play football – they’ve got passionate supporters who have been starved of going to games, just like ours have.
“I’m expecting a brilliant atmosphere. The fans that travelled to Fleetwood were excellent and I’m glad it’s a bit nearer for them this time.
“But I’m aware many will be heading there after a hard day’s work, so we’re really appreciative of that.”
Millwall – who have former Pompey midfielders Jed Wallace and Ben Thompson in their ranks – finished 11th in the second tier last term.
Cowley said: “They started the last match against QPR with real power and athleticism. It was a really competitive game.
“Gary Rowett has continued the brilliant work of Neil Harris and Millwall have become a top Championship team – credit to them for that.
“They’ve got a really well balanced squad with a clear way of playing, so we know it will be tough, but we’re looking forward to it.”