Good news for the 1,800-plus Portsmouth fans heading to Carlisle United's Brunton Park

There’s good news for the 1,800-plus Pompey fans signed up for the Blues’ trip to Carlisle on Saturday.

Tomorrow’s hosts are expecting no problems with their Brunton Park pitch for the 3pm kick-off – despite weather forecasters earlier this week predicting snow and then rain to hit Cumbria in the days preceeding the game.

Met Office warnings were in place for Thursday and Friday as a weather front moved up from the south. However, the Cumbrians have experienced no snowfall at all, while the rain hasn’t fallen as intensely as some anticipated.

That means it’s all systems go for the travelling Fratton faithful to set off on their 506-mile round trips and approximately 10 hours of travelling on the road!

Despite the trip to Carlisle being Pompey’s longest away day of the season, the 1,800-plus fans heading north guarantees the Blues will be accompanied by their third biggest away following of the season. That figure is bettered only by the 2,927 supporters who travelled to Derby in September and the 2,891 who made the trip for October’s visit to Reading.

And just to prove it’s no fluke, Pompey have already sold out of the 2,000-plus tickets they’ve been allocated for next month’s game at Blackpool (March 9). It will be hard not to spot a Blues fan in a service station along the M6 that day, too!

Those numbers once again demonstrate the huge loyalty John Mousinho and his side can rely on as they bid to end Pompey’s 12-year wait for a return to the Championship. That support will, no doubt, be needed again on Saturday, with the Blues’ lead at the top of the table coming under increasing pressure from Derby, Bolton and Peterborough.

Pompey’s closest rivals for the League One title play Shrewsbury (H), Northampton (A) and Wycombe (A) respectively on Saturday.

There’s still a limited number tickets available for tomorrow’s game at Brunton Park, after the Blues were given additional tickets earlier this week.