A play-off charge under the microscope: can Portsmouth really reel in Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Peterborough United & Co to make top six?

Since the end of last year the play-offs have felt about as accessible to Pompey as a package holiday to Area 51.

But, whatever your views on the likelihood of a late-season charge into the top six being realised, the league table tells its own story.

Two wins on the road last week have now closed the gap on Bolton in sixth to seven points - with a game in hand.

Even the most downcast Blues follower would have to acknowledge that, with nine games to go, bridging that gap is doable.

Of course, the big question is can Pompey do it?

Well, the first challenge is try to anticipate what happens from here on in. And the best indicator of future behaviour is past behaviour.

From John Mousinho’s first 14 games at the helm an impressive 26 points has been returned.

That translates as just shy of two points per game, 1.85 to be exact.

Maintaining a two-points-per-game pace for the rest of the season would see Pompey finish on a total of 75 points.

That’s actually above the 74-point threshold, which is the mean figure for finishing in the top six in League One over the past 20 seasons.

Now is continuing at two points per game realistically achievable? Looking at the run-in for Mousinho’s men you’d have to say so.

Port Vale (H), Forest Green (H), MK Dons (A), Morecambe (H), Shrewsbury (A), Oxford (A), Accrington (H), Derby (A) and Wycombe (H) make up the final nine games.

The good news is six of those nine games are against sides sat 16th or below in the table.

The bad news is you would probably want to face sides treading water in mid table at this time of the year - and most of Pompey’s opponents are either fighting for their lives or harboring play-off ambitions.

All things considered it’s a presentable conclusion to the campaign, however.

The problem for Pompey, however, is Wycombe, Shrewsbury and Peterborough around them will also have an eye on reeling in Bolton, or maybe Derby.

So the Blues would need to break from their pack and join a group maintaining an impressive pace,

Even with wobbling Bolton winless in four and Derby's form having a downturn, 75 points doesn’t look remotely enough to grab sixth spot at present.

It appears, like last term when Wycombe finished sixth on 83 points, north of 80 is going to be required.

That would realistically mean Pompey could afford to lose perhaps one of their final nine games.

Doing so, by any yardstick, would be an incredible achievement.

What is in the Blues favour at present is Mousinho has been able to engender an incredible team spirit in a short space of time.

Those on the outside may not be able to see it explicitly, but would be unsurprised to hear there’s a surging feelgood factor in the camp. The buzz is back.

And the fact Mousinho has gone from quietly eyeing the top six, to openly entertaining notions of a late charge into contention is revealing.

Is it going to happen? You’d have to say, all things considered, it remains unlikely. The bookies have it about right at Pompey being 9/1 to do so.

But it’s heartening the season has flickered back to life – and it’s going to be fun finding out what happens from here on in.