Hart hails fighting spirit

07 April 2009 17:41
Portsmouth boss Paul Hart has backed his side to continue their battle against relegation. Unbeaten in three games, Pompey have moved out of the bottom three after a troubled spell under former boss Tony Adams. Losing only to Chelsea in their last six matches, Hart's side are now four points clear of the drop zone with only seven games remaining. With survival in sight, the former Barnsley boss said the fighting spirit amongst the players will be key as they near the end of the season. "We've got our pride back and I think the players are showing that," he told the Portsmouth News. "We've lost one game in six and it's a credit to the players that they've managed to achieve that." Hart paid tribute to the efforts of Hayden Mullins and Richard Hughes in the recent trip to Hull as being typical of the determination amongst the players to maintain their Premier League status. He added: "You look at Hayden Mullins, the way he gets around people. "Richard Hughes was back in for the first time in a long time at Hull and was magnificent. "There are players week in, week out, turning in top performances. "Some are unsung and some are there that everybody knows, but each and everyone is key. "They've got a responsibility and they're not shirking it. "All I can say is I am pleased with the way they have gone about the job."

Source: SKY_Sports