Jamal Lowe: Deadlier than ever for Portsmouth

And Pompey's leading scorer is targeting surpassing his pre-season ambition of reaching the 15-goal barrier.

The winger netted his 13th of the campaign in Saturday’s 2-0 triumph over Scunthorpe.

It represented successive victories for Pompey, who are now four points off second-placed Barnsley with eight League One games remaining.

Lowe has hit the target more times this season than the previous one-and-half campaigns combined as his scoring rate blossoms.

And with 25 goals in 109 Pompey appearances, his ongoing development continues to tantalise.

The 24-year-old said: ‘I have surpassed what I achieved last season and hopefully can continue doing that for the rest of the season.

‘I’m fitter and I've learnt what positions to be in, now getting quite a lot of goals inside the six-yard box.

‘I am in the right place more often than not and positional work with the coaches has definitely helped my game.

‘At the beginning of the season I was thinking 15 goals, but should I score more than two in the eight league games, it would be amazing.

‘Last season I reached eight and my target was 10, which shows how I’ve managed to improve.

‘Maybe I’ll go straight to 20 this season. If I was on penalties, perhaps I would have a chance. I don’t think Gaz (Evans) and Pits would allow it, though!’.

Omar Bogle opened the scoring for Pompey on 71 minutes before Lowe struck to ensure no late drama.

During the first half, the former Hampton & Richmond player had one attempt blocked on the line, while couldn’t turn home another from close range.

But he struck three minutes from time to edge him ahead of Gareth Evans and Ronan Curtis as the Blues’ top scorer this season.

Lowe added: ‘It was a good goal, but I’d much rather the one in the first half went in and the other one in the first half – then the dink that they said was offside.

‘I scored one but could have had a hat-trick.

‘With that one I missed from close range, I am standing right there, two yards away, the ball’s there, my foot’s there and it has not ended up in the goal.

‘My head was gone a little bit at that point, but that is where you just have to carry on.

‘When I did score, I gambled on Hawkins getting a flick on and could have set it up for Gaz, but the defender blocked the pass off. So I thought I would go it myself.

‘The obvious way to go was left, there was more space that side, but I fancied it going the other way (right) and thankfully it went in.’