There were contrasting fortunes for Pompey and Cheltenham in the Carabao Cup earlier in the week.
Danny Cowley’s side put three unanswered goals past Championship opponents Cardiff in south Wales to reach the second round.
Their next opponents, by contrast, were thrashed 7-0 on their own patch by fellow League One side Exeter.
Ahead of Saturday’s scorching encounter, however, Louis Thompson does not believe the Blues should read too much into that.
The midfielder said: “It’s important from us to build some momentum from Tuesday night ahead of another tough game.
“We’ll be going there in a good place and with plenty of confidence, so hopefully we can follow it up with another positive result.
"We’ve got to play the conditions and try to keep possession as well as we can, making sure we recharge our batteries."
“It can be difficult to take anything from those cup ties because there’s a lot of rotation involved and Cheltenham are an honest group who will be looking to bounce back.
“I’m sure they’ll have a point to prove, but we just have to focus on our own performance and trying to secure another win.
“We’ve got to play the conditions and try to keep possession as well as we can, making sure we recharge our batteries.
“It’s about putting some work into their legs, winning the ball as quickly as possible and just enjoying ourselves – you don’t get many chances to play on a hot day in England!”
The recent arrival of Tom Lowery means that Pompey have plenty of options in the centre of midfield.
Thompson said: “We’ve always been stocked there since I arrived at this football club – it’s a challenge you have to embrace.
“Everyone is there to push each other on and having that competition is how you get the best out of players.”