Michael Jacobs makes pledge on his Portsmouth form after Fleetwood landmark

And he’s taking encouragement from Saturday’s first 90 minutes for three-and-a-half months.

The former Wigan man featured in the Blues’ 1-0 triumph at Fleetwood which keeps them third in League One.

It represented his second start having returned from tearing the medial ligament in his left knee at Sunderland in October.

That injury absence lasted seven weeks – and saw Jacobs thrown back into first-team action at Ipswich in December.

Now, five appearances on – including successive starts – he believes he’s making progress.

Jacobs said: ‘Hopefully I’ll be back up to speed as soon as possible.

‘I’ve had a bit of a long lay-off through injury and am feeling my way back in again, just finding my feet until I get some games.

‘I missed two-and-a-half months through injury, which was frustrating because I was just starting to get going a bit, but it’s nice to be back out there and getting going again.

‘At Sunderland, I had a collision with Bailey Wright in the corner and felt a pop in the side of my knee.

‘It was innocuous at the time and not something I could run off. Ultimately, it was a tear in my medial ligament so quite a nasty one. It was bad, but could have been a lot worse.

‘It takes a bit of time to get your full confidence back. I returned at Ipswich and then those three games were called off, which slowed things up a bit. That (Christmas) break hasn’t helped.

‘I feel fine now and it's a matter of trying to feel my way back into it and feel I can play a part going forward.

‘It’s about playing first-team games and putting a run together. You naturally build your match fitness up, as well as performances and consistency, through playing first-team games.

‘It has been a challenge here. Coming in a little late, picking up the injury after 5 or 6 games then coming back again and the pandemic.

‘I’ve played 80 minutes at Bristol City and now 90 minutes on Saturday. Hopefully I can feel my way back.’

Jacobs has made 12 appearances and scored once since arriving as a free agent in September.

He left Wigan at the end of last season, although continued to train with them to maintain his fitness.

With Ronan Curtis absent through coronavirus, Jacobs has been handed the left-sided berth.

Although he was frustrated more than most at the impromptu cancellation of the Blues’ three post Christmas fixtures.

He added: ‘Naturally you try to keep as fit as you can, but the training ground was shut after the outbreak at the club, so I was at home.

‘As soon as we got back to training, I was ready for Accrington – but that got called off.

‘It has been frustrating in terms of not being involved, but the lads have been doing great and now I’m back trying to play a part.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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