Portsmouth boss John Mousinho has pledged to ensure his side don’t take their foot off the gas this weekend in the huge clash at Sincil Bank.
Pompey are already League One champions, and with little to play for they could be seen as a slightly easier touch than if they were still fighting for the top spot. Indeed, a 17-game unbeaten run came to an end at Fratton Park this weekend, in a game the former Oxford midfielder admitted looked a little leggy.
However, he’ll doubtless be hoping to do his former employers a favour by ensuring the champions are back on form this weekend, and he’s even given them a little time off ahead of the fixture.
“We’ve been off Monday and back in Tuesday and Wednesday,” he told The News. “We had a reintroduction day on Tuesday, because I think the boys were physically drained and probably mentally drained. But it’s important we don’t completely take our foot off the gas, because of the integrity of the league and there are teams with points to play for.”
Integrity was not on the mind of Peterborough’s staff last night, as they put a reserve side out in a fixture Cheltenham needed to win to avoid relegation. The Robins won 2-0, causing chaos on social media as Burton and Cambridge fans called foul. There will be no repeat of that this weekend with Pompey.
“It was a pretty good thing Wigan were safe and had nothing to play for last weekend and we’re safe in terms of our position,” added Mousinho, whose side has lost just twice on the road all season. “This weekend is different though, because there are plenty of sides who are looking for that final play-off position with Lincoln moving into sixth. So it’s for us to do it right and give us the best possible chance to build a bit of momentum going into next season.”
Elsewhere, if the Imps are successful in getting into the top six after 46 matches, then it’s worth noting the dates for the play-off semi-finals have now changed. Originally, the side finishing sixth would have played at home on Friday night, with the side finishing fifth featuring on Saturday. However, both games will now take place on Saturday, with proposed 3:30 pm kick-offs, albeit subject to changes on police advice.
The second leg dates and kick-off times remain unchanged. Third v sixth is due to take place on Tuesday, May 7th, and fourth v fifth is due to take place on Wednesday, May 8th. Both will be 8 pm kick-offs.
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