Rose: Pompey should relish push for promotion

The Blues host Grimsby at Fratton Park tonight (7.45pm) determined to move a step closer to ending their four-season stay in the Football League’s basement division.

Saturday’s win at Colchester went a long way to helping fulfil that ambition, with the 4-0 victory consolidating Pompey’s place in the automatic promotion spots.

Paul Cook’s side were at their brilliant best against the U’s – and reaffirmed Rose’s belief that there is enough quality in the squad to go up.

Now the 2015-16 League Two title-winner with Northampton has urged the players to make the most of the chance offered to them.

Rose said: ‘You have to relish these opportunities, they don’t come around often.

‘At the moment we’re trying our best to grab it with both hands and give the fans something to shout about.

‘They all went home happy on Saturday, which is good.

‘There’s no doubt we’ve got the squad to withstand the demands of this league.

‘Obviously, now we’ve got to back up the two good results we’ve had on the road with a performance at home tonight against Grimsby – that will be good enough to see us through and get a result.’

Rose has started the Blues’ past two games after a period on the bench while Amine Linganzi thrived in the centre of midfield.

His return, after an injury to the latter, has helped Pompey take maximum points from those games.

And Rose is delighted to be once again contributing to the team’s goal of promotion.

‘Of course you want to play as many games as you can,’ he said.

‘But the manager knows he can rely on everyone in the squad to come in and do a job without disrupting the momentum too much.’

– MARK McMAHON