January proved to be a tough month for Pompey and things would get worse before they got better as the month began with a trip to Championship leaders Queens Park Rangers.
As expected, QPR won the game but were gifted the first goal after Adel Taarabt's angled shot was fumbled into the corner of the goal by Ashdown. The Pompey goalkeepers' hand couldn't stop Clint Hill's bullet header finding the back of the net either as the dismal run of form continued.
The next game was billed as "massive" and "must win" as struggling Derby County came to Fratton Park. The reverse fixture saw the top form teams in the league meet each other but this game saw the two worst form sides slug it out in a relegation six-pointer.
Disaster struck as the Rams took the lead after Steve Davies volleyed home Cwyka's cross in the first half despite Pompey's dominance.
Nugent missed a glorious chance to equalise after spooning the ball over the bar from three yards but did come to the home side's rescue in stoppage time with a beautiful strike that earned Pompey a precious point.
An eventful week in an otherwise quiet month off the pitch followed as Convers Sport Initiatives' interest in buying Portsmouth FC was revealed whilst Aaron Mokoena's work permit expired whilst on international duty and he failed to renew on time and so he was ruled out for Pompey's first ever trip to the Keepmoat Stadium.
Mokoena's failure to renew his work permit on time was a blessing in disguise as that meant Ricardo Rocha returned from obscurity to replace him, which resulted in the team's first clean sheet in ten games.
It was also Pompey's first win since mid-December and it came courtesy of Dave Kitson's bravery to head the ball and a Doncaster defender's foot at the same time to score before half-time.
Joel Ward then doubled the lead after the break by lobbing Gary Woods with an angled chip which ended up sealing the win for Steve Cotterill.
That victory proved to be the catalyst for a second outstanding run of results during the season although this sequence was based on sound defending rather than throwing caution to the wind.
Before the next match, Steve Cotterill signed his namesake David on emergency loan from Swansea and he made his debut against Barnsley who were beaten courtesy of Kanu's late header.
Crystal Palace made the short journey south on the following Tuesday and were also beaten 1-0 thanks to a fortunate goal from Nugent, whose mistimed volley hit the ground and bounced over Julian Speroni.
That win was Pompey's third in a row and the fourth would come at Portman Road against a rejuvenated Ipswich Town.
After being pummelled for an hour, Nugent once again scored on the Tractor Boys' turf and then he provided the perfect pass for Cotterill to slot the ball past Marton Fulop and seal another impressive win on the road.
So, after a difficult start to the month Pompey were now virtually safe from relegation and the more ambitious/deluded Pompey fans were again thinking of a late charge for a top six finish.