Danny Cowley pinpoints two key reasons why Portsmouth are coming good as they hunt down Plymouth, Sunderland & Co

The Blues boss admits new personnel recruited in both the summer and January windows have helped change the culture in the Fratton Park dressing room.

Meanwhile, the adversity his diminished squad has faced on the pitch in recent weeks as added to the new-found camaraderie within his ranks.

Cowley’s side have shown shoots of progress over the past seven games, picking up 19 points out of a possible 21 – with the latest being Tuesday night’s 3-1 win at Crewe.

That has seen them close the gap on the play-off places, with the Blues now five points behind sixth-placed Plymouth – who they play next Tuesday night.

But during this period there has been times of difficulty, with injuries and suspensions playing havoc with the 43-year-old’s match-day options.

Despite this, Pompey have come from behind twice to snatch maximum points against Shrewsbury and Oxford – while they also came from 3-0 down against Fleetwood to grab an unexpected draw.

Such results demonstrates the togetherness within Cowley’s set-up.

And the Blues boss admits it’s something the squad he inherited – plus that available to him at the the start of this campaign – had trouble achieving.

Cowley said: ‘It has been people coming in that have helped build that togetherness.

‘Human relationships are about connections and that only happens over time, so it’s been great to see that grow.

‘There is definitely a different feeling within our training ground and dressing room, we can feel the culture building and growing, but ultimately it’s people that create the culture.

‘When we first arrived, we felt like that group of players that we inherited found it difficult to come back in games when they went behind, they felt the pressure and expectation of Portsmouth Football Club when they went behind.

‘It felt like a challenge that we had to find a way of overcoming and I think in recent times we have.

‘If you look at our recent results, it’s almost the adversity that has brought the group together, whether that be the small playing squad we have, the sending offs in games, coming back in games from behind and winning, scoring goals in the dying moments in games.

‘By going through all of those experiences together naturally builds a togetherness and spirit.

‘All the successful teams that I’ve been a part of it’s been a key quality and it’s great that it is growing in this squad.’