Fleetwood 1 Portsmouth 0: Neil Allen's verdict - More away points surrendered to rivals highlights biggest threat to promotion

Pompey must unearth a means of triumphing at the home of their rivals – or potentially miss out on promotion.

A simple statement, blindingly obvious even, nonetheless, the Blues’ away form during their final 13 League One matches will be pivotal to achieving ambition.

Let’s give Fleetwood credit, they deserved Saturday’s 1-0 victory, establishing a 12th-minute lead and never looking likely to surrender it.

It was frustratingly comfortable for the Cod Army, who themselves created little, yet still far more substantial goal-scoring opportunities when compared to the Blues.

Barton’s men have lost three times at Highbury Stadium in all competitions this season, one of which at the hands of Pompey in the FA Cup last month.

For the return mission, Kenny Jackett’s men failed to even remotely test Alex Cairns, with the keeper never challenged to pull off a stop throughout the wind-ravaged proceedings.

The Blues didn’t warrant any reward for their endeavours. Granted, they huffed and puffed through tricky conditions, yet were glaringly absent of sufficient creativity and attacking penetration.

The best team on the day won, no complaints, congratulations to Barton’s troops. And particularly to the man in red wearing club lanyards, whose duty appeared to be geeing up the crowd gathered in the main stand.

For Pompey, however, it is back to the drawing board as they once again plot a pathway out of the division which has now held them for three seasons.

They remain poised, dropping to seventh yet encouragingly still seven points adrift of the two automatic promotion spots, with one game in hand on Rotherham.

Saturday was only their second defeat in 14 matches in all competitions, an outstanding run consisting of an impressive tally of 12 victories.

Crucially, though, those losses arrived at Coventry and now Fleetwood, two of their promotion candidates.

Of the Blues’ remaining 13 league fixtures, three represent trips to fellow high fliers – Peterborough (March 7), Ipswich (March 21) and Rotherham (April 10).

It would be unthinkable and, in all probability, fatal to promotion aspirations to also slip to defeat in those matches.

With eight losses in 16 League One away outings this season, it’s a recurring weakness which needs addressing, particularly when occurring at the hands of those you perceive as rivals.

Just like Coventry earlier this month, there was little to separate the sides. Just like Coventry, the encounter was decided by one goal. Just like Coventry, Pompey barely created a chance. Just like Coventry, they lost.

Incidentally, the Sky Blues are now situated in second spot and skipping further ahead having fulfilled the same amount of games.

Fratton Park remains a fortress, unconquered in the league this season with few to strike fear during the remaining schedule, aside from the visit of Fleetwood.

Yet if Jackett’s men are to finish in the top six, realistically they need positive outcomes at Peterborough, Ipswich and Rotherham. Certainly at least a victory and no defeats during that period.

Irrespective of the manner employed to prevent loss, they cannot afford to surrender points in this congested promotion race which is heading for an intriguing finale.

On Saturday, they weren’t dominated by Fleetwood in blustery Lancashire, far from it. Pompey just didn’t step up to the challenge offensively.

While, in their previous match, the Blues scored three goals in a pulsating final four minutes plus stoppage time to clinch a Wembley return, there was barely a shot at Highbury Stadium.

Jackett's side were largely defensively sound, yet fell alarmingly flat in attack, even when assisted by the wind during the second period.

Admittedly, a late reshuffle didn’t represent ideal preparation, with Ellis Harrison pulled from the team-sheet after suffering a reaction to his dead leg during warming up.

The problem forced him off early in that Exeter triumph on Tuesday night, yet was declared fit to participate at Fleetwood.

According to Jackett, the management team learnt of developments 10-15 minutes before kick-off. In the ensuing reshuffle, Oli Hawkins was promoted to the team, with Gareth Evans called onto the bench.

Having made his first appearance in 10 matches on Tuesday, Hawkins was handed his first league start as a centre-forward since the second leg of the play-off semi-final defeat to Sunderland in May.

Considering the chaotic preparation, and asked to play against the wind amid abject service from his team-mates, the striker truly was on a hiding to nothing.

Jackett’s other two changes to that side which faced Exeter was recalling James Bolton at right-back in place of Ross McCrorie and John Marquis rewarded for his last-gasp winner with a start.

The issue of Marquis being fielded as a number 10 is a matter for discussion. For all his scoring power and the necessity to find a place in the team for a player with eight goals in 2020, it’s a role which never quite clicks.

Certainly Andy Cannon is more suited, when fit, as is the out-of-favour Gareth Evans, and even the ostracised Brett Pitman. Although perhaps that Pitman debate should be left entirely for another day.

Incidentally, Pompey have won 19 matches this season without Pitman featuring – and established a club-record nine successive victories.

Still, Marquis was restored to his favoured striking position once the ineffective Hawkins made way on 56 minutes, yet it made little difference to the Blues.

Throughout the 90 minutes, there was a first-half Ronan Curtis free-kick which struck the top of the bar, while he later placed a difficult volley wide of the far post following a McCrorie cross.

Then, on 73 minutes, Curtis’ corner from the left was met with a Sean Raggett far-post header and comfortable nodded off the line by Lewie Coyle.

That was the sum of Pompey’s attacking parts during a desperately disappointing display.

Instead the occasion was settled on 12 minutes, when Danny Andrews far too easily delivered a cross from the left.

Alex Bass beat the ball out at his near post, yet it fell invitingly for the unmarked Callum Connelly to head home into an empty net.

There was to be no way back for Pompey – and they cannot afford to be as under the weather at the homes of their remaining three promotion rivals.