There was an unscheduled gap in the football calendar at the weekend.
But Danny Cowley understands why Pompey’s League One visit to Barnsley did not go ahead on Saturday.
The sad death of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II led to the sport’s governing bodies postponing fixtures as a mark of respect.
Pompey will resume their campaign this evening, when they visit a Burton outfit looking to climb off the foot of the table.
Despite their lowly position, however, Cowley believes that the Brewers will provide a stern test for his side.
The Blues boss said: “These are unprecedented times and we have complete respect for the decisions that were made last week.
“We probably would have liked them to be made a bit earlier because we were already on the coach up to Barnsley.
“There aren’t many things in life that are more important than football, but this was certainly one of them.
"These are unprecedented times and we have complete respect for the decisions that were made last week."
“We adapted accordingly and immediately turned our attention to Burton, spending Friday afternoon and Saturday morning watching all their games this season, as well as training hard.
“So we go into the match feeling excited and looking forward to facing a side that the statistics suggest should be a lot higher in the division.
“They’ve had a difficult start in terms of results, but we understand that it’s a tough place to go and they have a new manager who will bring more intensity and energy.
“We’ll have to cope with that and know that if we’re not at our absolute best, we’ll be in for a rough evening.
“Our attitude and mindset will have to be first class, but we have a lot of good characters in our group.”
Pompey’s fine form throughout August saw Cowley collect the League One Manager of the Month trophy.
He said: “It’s always a club award and I have to credit the players, who have been brilliant during the first month of the season.
“Then there’s the backroom team, who have supported them so well and allowed them to perform at their best.
“But our supporters have also had such a positive influence on our performances and it’s an award we’re proud to win.”