Portsmouth man’s Barnsley message as ex-Sunderland defender prepares for Oakwell challenge

The Blues defender believes the Tykes’ Oakwell home is the kind of venue where Danny Cowley’s ability to push to the Championship is likely to be seriously tested.

The trip to Yorkshire is the second of back-to-back fixtures against teams Hume reckons will be aiming to reach English football’s second tier this term.

Pompey passed their first examination against Peterborough last weekend, with a 2-1 victory at a buoyant Fratton Park.

Now Michael Duff’s side lie in wait, as Cowley’s men aim to continue their unbeaten start to the league against the side who fell out of the Championship last term.

Although encouraged by what he’s seen so far as he makes his own return from back and calf problems, Hume feels such testing away fixtures offer Pompey further context for the season.

He said: ‘It’s been a good start but Peterborough and Barnsley are the kind of teams you need to be doing well against, because I can see both being up there come the end of the season.

‘So that’s what we’ll be looking to do.

‘I think if we are able to get two positive results at the end of those games, I think it will make it a real positive start to the season for us.

‘That is what we were targeting, and, if we can, I think it bodes well for us moving forward.’