Pompey need to beat Northampton in the final game of the regular league season to make sure of home advantage in the second leg of their play-off semi-final against Plymouth.

Paul Cook says home advantage won't make a great deal of difference against the Pilgrims - both sides lost their league game at home to other, after all. But he'd still rather have Sunday week's second leg at home.

To make sure they get that Pompey need to better Plymouth's result tomorrow - which won't be easy given the fact they are hosting champions Northampton, while Plymouth entertain Hartlepool.

Cook told The News: ‘When you look at both teams their records away from home are better than at home. That’s over 23 games and the records are very close. So home advantage probably doesn’t mean a great deal.

‘But if you’re asking me whether it’s away at Plymouth or home at Fratton Park, I know where I’d rather be playing in the second leg. Logically, of course, you’d want to play at Fratton Park second. But we’ve played 23 games home and away after Saturday and will have a better away record. So somewhere along the line that doesn’t add up when we have 16,000 people supporting us.

‘We probably have 1,500 going away regularly, when we are given the tickets. I’d always want to have the home leg second, though, because it’s like the old days, if we draw away and then get them back here and win we go on. But what will be will be.’

Paul Jones could return in goal against the Cobblers after a quick recovery from injury, while loan striker Conor Wilkinson could make his Blues debut, something which was delayed by an injury he picked up in training.

Michael Smith's loan has ended while Marc McNulty is a doubt because of a lingering hamstring problem. Kyle Bennett won't be risked ahead of the play-offs.

The game brings Ricky Holmes - Pompey's player of the season two years ago - back to Fratton, just in time to see who wins the Blues' 15-16 crown. Ben Davies and Michael Doyle are favourites to land some of the pre-match awards.

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