'Defences win titles': Portsmouth favourite sets target in promotion battle with Derby County, Bolton Wanderers and Barnsley

Joe Rafferty has set a 20 clean-sheet target as Pompey moved another step closer to promotion.

And the Blues defender believes his side continuing miserly record at the back can deliver Championship football this term.

John Mousinho’s side clocked up their 16th League One shutout of the campaign in the 0-0 draw at Charlton on Saturday.

That cemented the best defensive record in the third tier, with Pompey conceding just 30 goals in the 35 league games to date - translating to a mightily impressive 0.85 goals shipped per match this term.

Rafferty feels the work of Mousinho’s side to prevent the flow of goals is made all the more impressive by the amount of chopping and changing in the back line, as the Blues have dealt with injuries.

He said: ‘Sixteen is quite good. It’s quite good, especially because we’ve had quite a few changes as a back four.

‘I know Will (Norris) has been in goal but there’s been a lot of changes elsewhere and whoever has come in has done a really good job.

‘We work during the week and pay attention to the detail we’re told. That’s as a team not just the back - the midfielders and the strikers as well are putting a shift in.

‘Hopefully we can round it up and get to 20 clean sheets. That would be a good target to get that and it could be enough.

After showing an impressive cutting edge in recent weeks, Pompey drew a blank against Charlton in front of 3,155 travelling fans.

They failed to make the most of clear openings in the first half before Myles Peart-Harris went clear late on, only to be denied by Macaulay Gillesphey as he didn't pull the trigger.

Charlton hit the post early on with Alfie May firing over in the first half, but Pompey largely impressed as defensive whole.

Rafferty underlined that organisation could well make the difference in the final reckoning.

He added: ‘I think it was Alex Ferguson who said it’s attacking which wins you games, but defences win titles.

‘Listen, hopefully it can here. We just have to keep defending from the front like Colby (Bishop) does, who works his socks off as a front man.

‘He will do that all the way until the end. As long as they do that, we’ve got half a chance.’