‘Magnificent’ Portsmouth can come through blip and earn League One promotion

Pompey have been backed to overcome their League One blip and clinch automatic promotion.
Pompey dejected after suffering defeat at Luton. Picture: Joe PeplerPompey dejected after suffering defeat at Luton. Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey dejected after suffering defeat at Luton. Picture: Joe Pepler

The Blues have lost their past three league games and surrendered their position at the top of the table.

Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss at leaders Luton left Kenny Jackett’s second-placed side trailing their title rivals by five points.

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And Barnsley’s draw at Oxford moved them within a point of the top two.

Pompey dejected after suffering defeat at Luton. Picture: Joe PeplerPompey dejected after suffering defeat at Luton. Picture: Joe Pepler
Pompey dejected after suffering defeat at Luton. Picture: Joe Pepler

Pompey picked up one win and three defeats in the league throughout January.

However, Ian Holloway is adamant the Blues will quickly bounce back to form after a ‘magnificent’ first half of the season. 

And the ex-QPR and Blackpool manager fully expects Jackett to guide his side into the Championship.

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He told footballleagueworld.co.uk: ‘Everybody has a blip but they’ve been magnificent.

‘Kenny Jackett is one of my mates so I’ve got plenty of time for him and he’s done fantastically well and he has a great record in the division.

‘He’s with a massive club that is rebuilding and they’ve been on fire.

‘They’ve had a bit of a bad run over Christmas and into January but they’re still there and so I think they’ll come through it and the squad is strong enough.

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‘Hopefully they’ll go from strength-to-strength in the run-in because they’ve had a fantastic season so far.

‘I’m fully expecting them to be getting one of the two automatic spots this season.’

Pompey aim to bounce back to winning ways against Doncaster at Fratton Park on Saturday.