Marko Milovanovic has credited Portsmouth's collective mentality after the club picked themselves up from the St Mary's derby defeat to win their next two Championship matches, climbing to 13th in the table in the process.

The striker, who joined Fratton Park in July in a £3m move from Spanish side Almeria, converted from the penalty spot shortly after half-time on Saturday to score the only goal in the win over Norwich, following up a victory against Sheffield United earlier in the week. The results have given John Mousinho's side a five-point buffer between themselves and the relegation places, with room to breathe in the middle of the table.

Hurt, then focused

"We showed that we have good mentality as a team and we're strong," Milovanovic told BBC Radio Solent. "The team have recovered well and have shown that on the pitch."

The summer signing did not shy away from acknowledging how much the Southampton loss stung the dressing room. "More than you can imagine after that but we focused well on the next games," he said. "The best part of football is that you have another game in a few days after."

It is the kind of turnaround that managers tend to speak about in press-release terms, but Milovanovic's words carried a more straightforward edge: the pain was real, the response was deliberate.

Finding his feet in English football

Still finding his bearings in what is his first spell in England, the forward known as Marezi has made eight Championship appearances this season, scoring three times. For a player arriving from the Spanish second tier, the pace and congestion of the Championship schedule has clearly made an impression.

"There is a lot to come but I try my best," he said. "I can help the team a lot and getting two wins in a row is the most important thing for us."

His observation about the demands of the division was candid: "You don't get much time in this league, it's just recovering, eating, sleeping and then performing again." That is as accurate a description of the Championship's relentless fixture schedule as you will hear, and it reflects the reality of a division where squads are tested as much by volume as by quality of opponent.

The road ahead

Portsmouth will want to make it three consecutive wins when they travel to Molineux on Tuesday evening to face Wolverhampton Wanderers. A third straight victory would move them further clear of any early-season turbulence and begin to confirm that the response to the derby loss was substance rather than coincidence.

Milovanovic, for his part, is already looking forward. "Now we are trying to get three and four wins and this is what we have to do, we have to rest and recover and then be switched on," he said.

At £3m, Portsmouth will need the striker to deliver goals across a long, unforgiving second-tier season. On the basis of his reaction to adversity so far, the signs are at least encouraging that he understands what is required.

Frequently asked

How many goals has Marko Milovanovic scored for Portsmouth?
Milovanovic has scored three goals in eight Championship appearances for Portsmouth this season since joining from Almeria for £3m in the summer.
Where are Portsmouth in the Championship table?
Back-to-back wins over Sheffield United and Norwich have lifted Portsmouth to 13th in the Championship table.
Who do Portsmouth play next in the Championship?
Portsmouth travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday evening as they look to make it three Championship wins in a row.