Michael Smith wants unbeaten run to Pompey promotion

The Blues head into this afternoon’s Fratton Park clash with Newport County (3pm) on the back of successive victories at Stevenage and Accrington.

Paul Cook’s fourth-placed side are just six points behind the automatic promotion places as they bid to earn a third straight league win for the first time this term.

But with 11 games to play, Swindon loanee Smith has his sights set on a greater run of results – and a higher prize.

He said: ‘I don’t see why we cannot go the rest of the season unbeaten.

‘The gaffer has put it to us to take each game as it comes but he doesn’t see why we can’t stick a run together either.

‘Be that six, seven games on the bounce or even the remaining 11.

‘Coming into the squad, as I have, I don’t see why we can’t do that and get promotion.

‘In the past couple of weeks we have comfortably beaten Bristol Rovers at home and then did the same on Tuesday night at Accrington – another side in the play-off places.

‘I think it’s just a case of cutting out little mistakes.

‘The lads have managed to do that in recent weeks so hopefully we can kick on and stick a big run together.’

The Blues’ 3-1 win against fellow promotion rivals Stanley was labelled ‘a message to everyone’ by Cook.

And Smith has tipped his team-mates to build on his most enjoyable Pompey outing as Newport visit the south coast.

‘I thoroughly enjoyed the game at Accrington,’ said Smith.

‘The first 45 minutes is the most I have enjoyed being involved in a game in a long, long time.

‘We passed the ball really well and shut them down.

‘We didn’t let them get a foothold in the game which I think is credit to the manager.

‘He wanted us to start at a high tempo and we did that.

‘All the boys think we should be higher up the table but there is nothing we can do about that other than to concentrate on trying to carry that performance on to Newport today.

‘The confidence is there.’

Smith ended a barren run without a goal in last month’s win over Rovers but the striker, who has netted once in seven Blues appearances, insisted he is happy to play the role of provider if it helps the team’s cause.

He added: ‘I love to score goals, first and foremost – that is why I am up there.

‘But I like to think I have a more to my game than that.

‘You have to when you have got the likes of Gary Roberts, Gareth Evans, Kal Naismith and Kyle Bennett in behind you!

‘I would be lying if I said I didn’t want it to be me on the end of the moves, though.

‘But it is all about the team – if the team can keep winning and I can help them do that then I am more than happy to do so in any way!’