Danny Cowley has admitted that Pompey still need plenty of reinforcements before the transfer window closes.
There is quality in the side – as evidenced by an impressive pre-season performance against Peterborough at Fratton Park.
Now the Blues just need to add strength in depth to a small squad to cope with the rigours of a League One campaign.
And Lee Brown knows that there cannot be any excuses ahead of next Saturday’s trek up to Fleetwood.
The left-back said: “You don’t really get your match sharpness until about five or six games into the season, but I feel we’re as fit as we can be.
“We’re probably still five or six players short, which is a bit surreal, but the group we’ve got is working tremendously hard.
"It’s a small squad at the moment, but our mentality is to go out and win matches, so that’s what we’ve got to do."
“You can stand here in pre-season and promise the world. We are where we are at the moment and have to get on with it.
“There will always be expectations when you’re playing here because this is Portsmouth Football Club.
“It’s a small squad at the moment, but our mentality is to go out and win matches, so that’s what we’ve got to do.
“I’ve been around for a long time now. I’ve still got the hunger, though, and still want to achieve promotions. The day that goes is the day I stop playing.”
Goals from Ryan Tunnicliffe and Ronan Curtis got the job done for Pompey against their Championship opponents.
Brown said: “It felt more like a proper game and was a good workout for us, but you can’t read too much into these matches.
“You can take a little bit of confidence from the performance and result, although the real stuff starts next week.”