Kenny Jackett targeting crucial Easter programme following Portsmouth success over Rochdale

Kenny Jackett has pinpointed a pivotal Easter programme following a sixth-straight win.
All smiles for Pompey today after a 4-1 success over Rochdale gave them a sixth-straight win. Picture: Joe PeplerAll smiles for Pompey today after a 4-1 success over Rochdale gave them a sixth-straight win. Picture: Joe Pepler
All smiles for Pompey today after a 4-1 success over Rochdale gave them a sixth-straight win. Picture: Joe Pepler

The Blues dispatched Rochdale 4-1 at Fratton Park this afternoon to bolster their strengthening promotion bid.

Oli Hawkins, Brett Pitman, Gareth Evans and man-of-the-match Jamal Lowe all netted on a day in which League One play-off qualification was assured.

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But Pompey are aiming considerably higher – and are presently two points short of second-placed Barnsley with a game in hand.

Now, in the forthcoming week, they travel to Burton (April 19) and then host Coventry (April 22).

Jackett said: ‘It’s wide open and I’m really pleased with the players today.

‘It leaves the table very, very tight. We have 15 points to play for and have to get as many as we can out of those.

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‘We must keep our good form with a crucial Easter period coming up.

‘It was a pressure situation and I thought Rochdale showed a lot of attacking intent. They've had good recent results and experience up front with the likes of Ian Henderson, Matt Done and Aaron Wilbraham.

‘They kept that all the way through, they had a threat up front and you could see that right the way through the game.

‘You have to defend, but most importantly you need to exploit the spaces and hurt them up the other end. Scoring four goals was excellent and well deserved by our players.

‘Congratulations to Jamal and his partner, they’ve had a second child this week, that’s a boy and a girl now. He’s worked really hard today and got his reward.’

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