Seven days can reshape a season. That is the central argument from Portsmouth fan Tom Chappell, writing for BBC Sport after Saturday's 1-0 victory at Norwich City, a result that delivered the club's first away clean sheet of the Championship campaign.

From the floor to the fringes of the play-offs

A week before the trip to Carrow Road, Chappell describes a fanbase and a football club "on the floor". Back-to-back wins have since moved John Mousinho's side to within three points of the top six, and the mood has shifted sharply. The clean sheet away from home, he argues, is among the hardest things to achieve in the second tier, making its arrival all the more welcome.

The decisive moment arrived via the penalty spot. Referee Gavin Ward pointed to the spot following a challenge on Abu Kamara, and Marezi converted to settle the contest. Chappell concedes, with a degree of honesty, that without the spot-kick the game might have drifted into a goalless draw. Still, the result is on the board.

Individual performances that stood out

Beyond the three points, Chappell singles out several individual contributions. Jojo Dia, he writes, "gets better and better", while Iyad Mohamed produced what the fan describes as an "hour-long performance for the ages". Marezi, meanwhile, has yet to miss from 12 yards in a Portsmouth shirt, and his reliability from the spot proved the difference at Carrow Road.

Norwich, Chappell acknowledges, created very little. One effort struck the post, and he accepts that a more clinical side might have punished Portsmouth on the day. That caveat does not diminish the result; it contextualises it. For a team working to rebuild confidence, winning ugly on the road is a skill in itself.

What the win means for Portsmouth's season

Saturday's result gives Portsmouth two away wins from five Championship outings this term, a record that now supports genuine optimism when travelling. The visit to Norwich was, for stretches, uncomfortable. The fact that the back line held firm regardless matters as much as the goal that separated the sides.

For Norwich, the afternoon continued a difficult run. Paul Clement's side have struggled to find consistency in front of goal, and a home defeat to a side building momentum will do little to ease the pressure on Carrow Road. Their inability to convert the chances they did create, limited as those were, once again cost them points in front of their own supporters.

Looking ahead

Portsmouth now travel to Molineux on Tuesday, their first visit to that ground since their top-flight days in 2009, according to Chappell's account. Mousinho's squad arrive with confidence restored and a second consecutive away win within reach. For a fanbase that felt the season slipping away just a week ago, the shift in outlook is considerable.

Back-to-back wins do not resolve every problem, but they reframe what is possible. Three points outside the play-offs, with a settled defensive display to point to, Portsmouth supporters can travel to the Midlands this week with something they lacked a fortnight ago: belief that the road form has genuinely turned.

Frequently asked

Did Portsmouth keep a clean sheet away at Norwich?
Yes. Portsmouth won 1-0 at Norwich City, recording their first away clean sheet of the Championship season.
How close are Portsmouth to the Championship play-offs?
Following back-to-back wins, Portsmouth sit three points outside the top six in the Championship table.
Who scored the winning penalty for Portsmouth against Norwich?
Marezi converted from the spot after referee Gavin Ward awarded a penalty for a challenge on Abu Kamara.