Pompey forward has to show selfish streak

The Pompey forward has been told he needs to be greedier if he is to score more this season. Bennett scored seven goals last term for Paul Cook’s side, but has just a single finish to his name this time around. The 26-year-old topped the assists charts for the Blues in his maiden campaign, following his arrival from Doncaster Rovers. The official total is nine on that front, although Bennett would argue he produced a greater return than that. He has already laid down a lofty 12-goal target for the campaign after breaking his duck against Plymouth in October. The wide man hasn’t been able to add to his total since that impressive finish at Home Park, although has seen efforts come back off the post against Cheltenham and Stevenage in recent games. Bennett is refusing to lower his sights, with 27 games of the campaign remaining. After finding himself out of favour earlier in the season he is now on an unbroken run of eight league starts in the Pompey starting XI. He knows he needs greater end product – and has to think more of himself to up that total. Bennett said: ‘I did say I wanted to get 12 goals this season. ‘That’s looking a bit tricky at the minute but there are still 27 games to play. ‘I’d need to start pretty much all the games but I could pick up 11 goals in 27 games, hopefully. ‘For a forward player with the amount of chances we create in this side it’s realistic. ‘I’m not saying I’ll get there and I’m not saying I won’t – but that’s still the target ‘I thought the shot against Cheltenham was going in and it hit the post. ‘Last season, I picked up a lot of assists and it was a part of my game I was working on quite a lot. ‘I picked up quite a lot of them and I said to a few of the coaches I wanted to turn the assists and the goals around if I could this season. ‘I’ve been told I need to be a bit more selfish by people and I can see that. ‘It’s just in my instincts to pass it to people. It’s hard to change that sometimes, but that’s what I have to do.’ Bennett will need the Blues to continue on their upwardly mobile away form if he is find himself among the goals this season. Cook’s side are unbeaten in five games on the road as they prepare make the long trip north to Grimsby next weekend. They’ve picked up 11 points in that time ahead of the clash at Blundell Park. Bennett added: ‘Last season the away form was very good and we’ve managed to pick it up after a slow start. ‘At the start of the season we weren’t doing so well, but we’ve managed to pick it up again and, hopefully, we can continue doing that.’