Tangible improvement - but Sunderland's record will provide Portsmouth with ultimate attacking acid test

In a game where the Blues lacked any real cohesiveness or ingenuity going forward, they drew a blank for a third league game.

Donny weren't exactly much better but Reece James' clinical 79th-minute finish condemned Kenny Jackett's men to a 1-0 loss.

Much was made about Pompey's dearth of ideas in the final third at the final whistle. It was the story of the League One season so far.

Set-pieces is where the Blues looked likeliest to score against Donny, as Jackett bemoaned a lack of cutting edge when conducting his post-match media duties.

Bar the 4-2 win at Burton, Pompey had worryingly netted only once from open play in the third tier.

A response was required at Gillingham - and, to their credit, the Blues delivered with a 2-0 success.

There was more fluency and verve at Priestfield and the win should have been more emphatic.

On top of his opening goal, John Marquis should have netted a second-half header. Michael Jacobs could have doubled his tally, too, while Tom Naylor struck the post and Marcus Harness squandered a glorious one-v-one opportunity.

A step in the right direction, you'd like to think as Pompey finally try to light the touchpaper to their season and put together a run of victoires.

Yet the real acid test in terms of the threat they carry going forward comes against promotion-rivals Sunderland on Saturday.

The Black Cats have made an impressive start to the campaign. They remain unbeaten in six games, winning four and drawing two.

Phil Parkinson's men haven't been prolific in the final third, netting only seven goals, but defensively they've been magnificent.

Incredibly, they have conceded just once and that wasn't from open play.

It wasn't even mustered from a corner or a free-kick, either.

It was from the penalty spot in a 1-1 draw with Bristol Rovers on the opening day of the season.

Potent attacking sides in Peterborough and Oxford were

nullified duly, as well as Charlton, Swindon and most-recently Crewe.

Given Luke O'Nien served as a makeshift left-hand centre-back in Sunderland's 1-0 win over Alexandra, it makes their record more impressive.

What's more, the Black Cats could have Jordan Willis back against Pompey, while Wolves loanee Dion Sanderson - who impressed in the Championship at Cardiff last term - may also make his debut.

It could prove an arduous task to break down Sunderland - but they'll be wary of the calibre of the Blues' attacking options all the same.

There would be few, if any, third-tier sides who'd pass up the opportunity to sign the likes of Jacobs, Marquis, Harness, Ronan Curtis, Ellis Harrison (albeit he's injured) and Ryan Williams in their ranks - let alone have them in one team.

Then add Callum Johnson and Lee Brown, who both can whip in dangerous crosses, into the mix from full-back roles.

The proven quality makes the disjointed displays going forward in games such as Doncaster, Shrewsbury and Wigan all the more frustrating.

But, on the flip side, wins at Burton and Gillingham underline the quality Jackett's men do have when they get it right.

Taking both sides into account, it points towards another fascinating battle on Wearside.