Ipswich Town head to Portsmouth tonight looking to pick up points against another side many have tipped for the top six. MIKE BACON takes a look at Pompey.

%image(15117071, type="article-full", alt="Portsmouth's George Hirst (front) and Sutton United's Harry Beautyman battle for the ball during the Papa John's Trophy Southern Group B match at Fratton Park, which Sutton won 2-0.")

POMP, LITTLE SHOW

Just like Ipswich Town, Portsmouth are finding life as a big club in League One tough.

Sitting in 12th place in the division, one point and three places above Paul Cook's side, Pompey were on the end of a 1-4 drubbing at high-flying Rotherham on Saturday and it's just one win in 11 in all competitions for Danny Cowley's side.

"Without doubt we are questioning our response to disappointment," Cowley said after the Rotherham defeat - a defeat that had seen Pompey level it up just after the break, before three Millers' goals in eight minutes secured their win.

"I don’t think we respond in games particularly well as a group."

Cowley is certainly under scrutiny at Fratton Park, but then again last time out at home they thrashed Sunderland 4-0.

%image(15116896, type="article-full", alt="Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley.")

MEET THE BOSS

Danny Cowley has been a favourite tip for many Ipswich Town fans for the job as boss at Portman Road over the years.

Much of that began after he guided non-league Lincoln City to victory over Town in the FA Cup in 2017.

Cowley, who will be 43 on Friday, had his playing career ended by injury in his late 20s, before embarking on a non-league managerial career with Concord Rangers.

At the Essex club he guided them up the pyramid during an eight-year spell, before taking over at Braintree Town, almost helping them reach the Football League.

A move to Lincoln City saw just that happen as he took the Imps back into the Football League in a season that also saw them reach the FA Cup quarter-finals with wins over the likes of Ipswich, Brighton and Premier League, Burnley.

Along with his brother Nicky, his assistant, he was now being targeted by League clubs and it wasn't long before he took the job at Huddersfield Town. Despite keeping them in the Championship, he was relieved of his duties after one season and after a short spell out of the game was appointed Pompey boss in March.

FRATTON PARK

Fratton Park is the original home of Portsmouth FC, who were founded on 5 April 1898.

Uniquely, it's the only football ground in English professional football that is not located on the mainland island of Great Britain, as Fratton Park is built on Portsea Island, where the city of Portsmouth is located.

Pompey fans are some of the noisiest in the country and Fratton Park invariably creates a hot-bed of an atmosphere.

%image(15117072, type="article-full", alt="Michael Chopra, on target for Town the last time they beat Portsmouth.")

HEAD TO HEAD

You have to go back to 2012 to find the last time Town beat Pompey.

Michael Chopra's first-half goal gave Town all three points that night at at time when the home side had just applied for administration and were set for a 10-point deduction.

Chopra broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, reacting quickest when Daryl Murphy nodded against the post.

Since then Town have lost their last five clashes with the south coast side, twice in the FA Cup and three times in the league. Overall Town still hold the upper hand in victories in all competitions, 19 to 16, while there have been 12 draws.

WHAT THE BOOKIES SAY

The bookies are favouring Pompey, even though their recent form is no-where near as good as Town's. It's likely Ipswich's poor recent form at Fratton Park comes into play as well.

TOWN WIN: 9/4: POMPEY WIN: 5/4: THE DRAW: 23/10

%image(15117073, type="article-full", alt="A rare first edition of "Mutiny on the Bounty", written by Captain William Bligh. The infamous mutiny took place in 1789.")

DID YOU KNOW?

HMS Bounty set sail from Portsmouth for Tahiti under the command of Captain Bligh on the first breadfruit voyage in 1787. His mission was to pick up breadfruit plants and transport them to the West Indies to become a cheap source of food for slaves. It all went horribly wrong!