Pompey given promotion points target

And the defender knows greater consistency has to be delivered if the Blues are going to bridge the gap from League Two pretenders to the real deal.

Eighty points is the landmark associated with automatic promotion in the fourth tier of the English game.

But Accrington failed to go up with 85 points last term as Northampton took the title with a whopping 99-point return.

Before last season, 81 points was the average total to make the top three over the previous 20 campaigns.

Pompey also failed to put three league wins together until April, which proved a dagger blow to their promotion hopes.

Stevens said: ‘We need consistency. It wasn’t until Dagenham we won three games in a row last season.

‘That’s one we need to correct. We need to right that wrong.

‘In terms of goals conceded, we weren’t bad and goals scored, too.

‘We finished on 78 points. Accrington didn’t go up on 85.

‘So we have to look at getting 85 to 90 points.’

Stevens also sees the division as a competitive one as the countdown to the new campaign goes through the gears this week.

He said: ‘Doncaster are going to be bang at it. Blackpool will be bang at it.

‘Luton are having a go and Cambridge. Carlisle look to have made a good few signings. Leyton Orient as well, look strong. So there’s plenty.

‘It’s going to be tough, but it comes down to us and our preparation.

‘We have to work harder than last season.

‘If we do that with the quality we brought in on top of what we had last season – I think it’ll be enough.’