The Bristol Rovers cautionary tale which warns Portsmouth of the huge threat Oxford United and Charlton Athletic still offer to play-off hopes

Lee Brown warned Pompey they can’t afford to think they’re over the play-off line yet.
Lee BrownLee Brown
Lee Brown

And the two-goal hero at AFC Wimbledon relived his own painful experience which underlines the Blues can’t take their foot of the gas in the chase for a top-six finish.

After the 3-1 win at Plough Lane, a win at Fratton Park against Accrington will guarantee the season is extended.

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Brown offered a cautionary tale for his team-mates, though, and retold how relaxing too soon cost his Bristol Rovers side their place in the Football League in 2015.

He said: ‘I’ve been in this situation before with one game to go.

‘At Bristol Rovers went to Wycombe in a six pointer on the second-to-last game,

‘We overcelebrated, to be honest, pitch invasion and everything, thought we were safe and the following week we got relegated.

‘There was three points in it. Lovely we’re safe.

‘But we lost the last game and they won to stay up.

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‘So it was a lesson I learnt early in my career. It was a good learning curve.

‘After that I would never celebrate too early until it’s done.

‘It’s nice to win and it’s in our hands, but it means nothing until it’s done.’

Accrington arrive at Fratton next Sunday after last Tuesday’s 3-3 draw at the Crown Ground - and then holding play-off rivals to a 1-1 draw this weekend.

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John Coleman’s side have shown they will present a live threat - and Brown knows there’s a long history of final-day drama Pompey can’t afford to overlook.

He added: ‘You see it every year when there’s twists and turns on the final day.

‘The win puts us in a good position, but nothing is done yet.

‘That is the case now - we’ve got a massive game to come next weekend.

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‘We have to go into like a normal game, I know it’s not, and prepare like that’s the case.

‘We’ve got to win a football match.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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