Lee Brown: Portsmouth need stylish victory against Gillingham to convince Fratton faithful

Lee Brown has challenged Pompey to win with style as they seek to boost supporter belief.
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Kenny Jackett’s side entertain Gillingham at Fratton Park on Saturday, striving for a third-successive League One triumph.

Yet the Blues’ vice-captain acknowledges even that outcome may not necessarily sway the doubters following a frustrating start to the campaign.

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Having laboured to victory over Bolton and Doncaster in recent weeks, Pompey require a convincing display to accompany any potential success.

Brown knows the importance of producing an impressive winning performance to lift the Fratton faithful's spirits.

And he is targeting overcoming a Gillingham side positioned one point above in the League One table, having played twice more.

The defender said: ‘I think it is clear to see the fans are very edgy at the moment, it can go either way in games, but that’s where we are in the league you understand the reasons.

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‘We have not picked up the results we should have and the only people who are going to give the fans confidence are us. We need to put in a performance on Saturday.

Lee Brown has called upon Pompey to put in a 'performance' to accompany any win over Gillingham on Saturday. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/PinPepLee Brown has called upon Pompey to put in a 'performance' to accompany any win over Gillingham on Saturday. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/PinPep
Lee Brown has called upon Pompey to put in a 'performance' to accompany any win over Gillingham on Saturday. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/PinPep

‘Sometimes a good performance and a good win is needed. It’s all right going to Doncaster and getting points, but we need to do that at home – and do it well.

‘If you ask me now whether I would take a scrappy 1-0 win and awful performance, of course I would. But do we need a good performance? Yes, we do.

‘It’s only a matter of time and things will click. We have done a lot of pattern play and a lot of the tactical side of things in the last week or so, more than ever really.

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‘It’s just a matter of time building those relationships all over the pitch. Charlton were slow starters last season and picked up.

Lee Brown  Picture: Daniel Chesterton/PinPep/PinPepLee Brown  Picture: Daniel Chesterton/PinPep/PinPep
Lee Brown Picture: Daniel Chesterton/PinPep/PinPep

'We have to give confidence to the fans, confidence to each other, and that belief will grow.’

Pompey have taken 12 points from their opening nine matches, to put them 11 points adrift of the automatic promotion spots at this stage.

However, they possess two games in hand on many sides – and head into Saturday's fixture buoyed by last weekend's battling win at Doncaster.

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Brown added: ‘I’ve been to Doncaster many times and sometimes you have to ride your luck, sometimes you have to sit in away from home and hit them on the counter.

‘To come away from there, however way possible, with three points is a good achievement.

‘I know we didn’t play our greatest, but sometimes you’ve got to win different games at different places – and that’s what we did.’

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