Knight: Every match is a must-win now

The identity of the opposition doesn't matter '“ Saturday is our biggest game of the season.
Gary RobertsGary Roberts
Gary Roberts

Whether it be Dagenham & Redbridge or Stevenage, every match is a must-win at this stage of the campaign.

The visit of Plymouth is bigger than last week’s over the Daggers. Victory and the trip to York is bigger than the clash with Plymouth.

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Every single fixture is about three points, irrespective of who it comes against and how well we have played.

It’s going to be tough for Pompey to get automatic promotion – Oxford United and Accrington are the favourites.

But it is not impossible, I have seen enough football in my life to say never say never. Anything can happen.

There could even be someone else appearing out of the blue, just look at Exeter of late. Not that I think it will happen.

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As the clubs currently in second and third, it is Oxford United and Accrington’s to lose, so we just have to keep on getting the results to put pressure on them.

Accrington are the side to watch at the moment and I’m hoping a touch of complacency will come into it, perhaps they will think they are already there and take their eyes off the prize.

Should that happen then we have to be there, ready to take advantage.

Don’t get me wrong, it will take a super-human effort to win every game, but that may be what it takes. As Paul Cook says ‘just keep going’.

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At the Daggers last week I thought the team showed character, the pleasing thing being big players like Michael Doyle and Gary Roberts stepping up when their side really needed them.

Let’s give John Still’s side credit in the first-half, they played the best 45 minutes they have done all season.

Striker Christian Doidge worked hard and caused problems, they stopped our influential players from performing and deserved the lead at half-time, perhaps could even have scored a goal or two more.

Yet for their team to maintain that work-rate for the full 90 minutes was going to be extremely tough and as it turned out we stormed back to win 4-1.

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I have seen us play a lot better football and lose or draw – at this stage of the season it’s all about winning.

We’ve got that third league win in a row, the monkey is off the back and let’s look to the next one which is Plymouth on Saturday.

I believe a lot of our promotion rivals have written us off, they have forgotten about us and don’t consider us as part of the equation.

Rule us out at your peril.