Why Danny Cowley has no interest in Portsmouth's League One position after Shrewsbury triumph

Just two games later and Pompey are back in the play-off positions and looking in fine strength.

Danny Cowley has transformed the Blues within eight days – although dismissed the relevance of the League One table.

Pompey’s head coach admitted he was unaware of their fifth-spot placing in the aftermath of Saturday’s 2-1 triumph at Shrewsbury.

For him, it lacks importance in the current circumstances.

He said: ‘We’ve won two tight games and picked up six points, so, from an outcome perspective, it has been good.

‘We just want to keep going after process because we know that if you get performances right then the results take care of themselves.

‘If you play like the first half for 90 minutes consistently then you are going to be able win matches.

‘I don’t really look at the league table. I just keep trying to win games of football.

‘I like the objective of waking up every Monday morning with the ambition to win Saturday. Then I like to enjoy Sunday, wake up on a Monday morning and it starts again.

‘I didn’t look at the table after Saturday’s game – nor the results.’

Following five successive defeats in all competition before the Cowleys’ arrival, the Blues have rediscovered that winning feeling.

Victories over Ipswich and now Shrewsbury, both by a 2-1 scoreline, have lifted the Blues into fifth.

However, it remains heavily congested, with everyone down to Accrington in 13th possessing a chance.

With 10 matches left, Cowley’s men are nine points short of third spot.

As a consequence, an automatic promotion spot appears highly unlikely at this moment in time.

Not that Cowley is analysing the table at present as he focuses on maintaining the winning run on Good Friday against Rochdale.

He added: ‘I would look at the table when it’s the last game of the season.

‘That’s if there are certain things you need to do, like keep an eye on other results and how it might affect what you are at that time.

‘But you can’t control anybody else, you can only control yourself. Stay with the process, stay fully focused.

‘Everyone else can do what they want.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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