When Championship place can be sealed for Portsmouth and promotion permutations with Bolton Wanderers, Derby County, Barnsley and Peterborough

Pompey moved another step closer to the Championship after the rambunctious top-of-the-table showdown with Derby County.

But what is now required to finally guarantee a place in the second tier at the seventh time of asking? And if John Mousinho’s deliver, when will the promotion dream become reality?

Well, after the 2-2 draw at Fratton Park we now know the earliest opportunity of going up has been pushed slightly further down the road.

That was conceivably next Wednesday when Peterborough take on Port Vale at London Road in a rearranged fixture, with the Posh contesting the Bristol Street Motors Trophy final with Wycombe on Sunday.

Now there’s a couple of permutations to consider, but the simplest is the Blues will be celebrating promotion at Bolton if they win their next two games.

Shrewsbury arrive at Fratton Park on Saturday, before Mousinho’s side go to the Toughsheet Stadium to take on Ian Evatt’s men on April 13.

Wins on both occasions would see Pompey land on 93 points, while taking three points off Wanderers and limiting their achievable total - which currently also stands at 93 points ahead of their visit to Bristol Rovers this weekend.

If the Blues fail to win their next two games, they know any return will count towards the seven-point haul which would then guarantee promotion.

That would take them to 94 points, which is beyond Bolton’s maximum finish as well as Peterborough (92 points) and Barnsley (92 points).

That would need some flying form from those sides to hit those totals, however, with Pompey’s target coming down depending on how many points Bolton drop along the way. That could then further shift, as a result of how the other sides in contention perform in their upcoming games. 

For the title it’s eight points required, with Derby having four matches remaining. That gives them an achievable 94 points - with a quartet of winnable games to come for the Rams.

Pompey’s final games are against Shrewsbury (April 6), Bolton (April 13), Barnsley (April 16), Wigan (April 20) and Lincoln (April 27).

Derby have four games remaining against Wycombe (April 10), Leyton Orient (April 13), Cambridge United (April 20) and Carlisle (April 27).

Bolton face Bristol Rovers (April 6), Pompey (April 13), Shrewsbury (April 16), Port Vale (April 20) and Peterborough (April 27)

Peterborough play Port Vale (April 10), Oxford (April 13), Fleetwood (April 16), Bristol Rovers (April 20), Cheltenham (April 23) and Bolton (April 27).

Barnsley tackle Charlton (April 6), Stevenage (April 9), Reading (April 13), Pompey (April 16), Blackpool (April 20) and Northampton (April 27).