Portsmouth have quietly rebuilt their momentum in the Championship and, according to summer signing Marko Milovanovic, the reason is straightforward: a squad that refused to sulk after being beaten in the south coast derby.

Back-to-back wins against Sheffield United and Norwich have lifted John Mousinho's side to 13th in the table. Those six points, earned without great fanfare, matter more than they might look at a glance. After the manner of the loss at St Mary's, a flat spell would have been entirely understandable. It did not happen.

Milovanovic: "More than you can imagine"

The Serbian striker, who arrived at Fratton Park in July for a reported £3m fee from Spanish side Almeria, was the match-winner at the weekend, converting from the penalty spot shortly after half-time to see off Norwich. It was his third Championship goal from eight appearances, a decent return for a player still finding his feet in English football for the first time.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent, Milovanovic was candid about how much the derby defeat stung. "We showed that we have good mentality as a team and we're strong," he said. "The team have recovered well and have shown that on the pitch. [We were hurting] more than you can imagine after [the Southampton loss] but we focused well on the next games."

That focus has translated into results. Portsmouth did not concede a collapse in form after a heavy local loss, which is precisely the kind of thing that separates sides who get dragged into the wrong half of the table from those who do not.

A word of caution

Two wins is a run, not a trend. A sequence of four games is the point at which a manager might cautiously allow themselves to believe something has changed; two is encouraging evidence and nothing more. Mousinho's side sit 13th, which is comfortable enough for now but leaves no margin for a wobble if the division above them starts to pull away.

The fixture list will be a useful reality check. Portsmouth travel to Molineux on Tuesday evening to face Wolverhampton Wanderers, and it is that sort of assignment, away from Fratton Park against a well-resourced side, that will tell you far more about Pompey's Championship credentials than a home penalty against the Canaries.

Milovanovic's ambitions

The striker, who goes by the nickname Marezi, sounded hungry for more rather than satisfied. "I can help the team a lot and getting two wins in a row is the most important thing for us," he said. "Now we are trying to get three and four wins and this is what we have to do."

He was also refreshingly honest about the demands of the second tier. "You don't get much time in this league, it's just recovering, eating, sleeping and then performing again." That is a well-worn observation but one that catches many foreign arrivals off guard. At three goals in eight games, Milovanovic appears to be adapting to the pace and intensity more smoothly than most.

There is also something in his broader point about the psychology of the group. Championship seasons are long, they include bad weeks, and a dressing room that can absorb a derby loss and win twice immediately afterwards is at least showing the character that survival, and possibly more, requires.

Portsmouth need to demonstrate that character over a stretch of months, not games. But Tuesday night at Molineux is the next test, and right now the signs from inside Fratton Park are more positive than they were a fortnight ago.

Frequently asked

Where are Portsmouth in the Championship table?
Portsmouth are currently 13th in the Championship table after back-to-back wins against Sheffield United and Norwich.
How many goals has Marko Milovanovic scored for Portsmouth?
Milovanovic has scored three goals in eight Championship appearances since joining Portsmouth from Almeria in July.
What is Portsmouth's next Championship fixture?
Portsmouth travel to Molineux on Tuesday evening for their next Championship match.