League One top scorer John Marquis already equalled last season's Portsmouth goal haul

And he’s achieved that feat in 18 fewer games.

The striker is enjoying the best goal-scoring form of his Fratton Park career, helping the Blues reach a current placing of sixth.

On Monday night in the 2-2 draw at Plymouth, he registered his 10th goal of the campaign. Most notable of all, it was his eighth of the League One programme.

That equals Marquis’ tally for last season, a figure he reached after 30 league matches.

This time around, the former Millwall man arrived at eight goals following just 12 league fixtures.

In fact, such has been his devastating scoring streak, he has now netted eight times in his last six League One outings.

Marquis rediscovering his threat in front of goal coincides with Kenny Jackett opting to hand him a strike partner in a 4-4-2 formation.

Clearly it is bringing the best out of a striker who registered 67 times in 153 appearances for previous club Doncaster.

Following his summer 2019 arrival at Fratton Park, he finished as joint-top scorer with Ronan Curtis on 14 goals in all competitions.

Disappointingly, just eight of that tally was registered in his 33 appearances in the league.

Representing his second Blues spell, he netted on his fourth outing, in the August 2019 clash with Coventry, which finished 3-3.

However, it wouldn’t be until the February 2020 victory over MK Dons at Fratton Park when Marquis claimed his eighth and final league goal of the campaign.

He then failed to net in his next five League One fixtures until the season’s end, including two substitute outings in the play-off semi-final against Oxford United.

This term, Marquis didn’t net in the league until his seventh appearance – then struck in the 2-0 victory at Gillingham.

That marked his first-team recall in the absence of Ellis Harrison and, with a 4-4-2 also employed, the 28-year-old has been free-scoring ever since.

Marquis is presently League One’s top scorer, two clear of Joe Pigott (AFC Wimbledon), Jorge Grant (Lincoln), Callum Camps (Fleetwood) and Jonson Clarke-Harris (Peterborough).

Incidentally, Marcus Harness (five league goals) is joint sixth.

How Pompey need the rejuvenated Marquis to maintain his golden touch in the remaining 34 league fixtures.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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