Striker Oli Hawkins is adamant the mood in the Town camp remains upbeat despite a run of just three wins in their last nine league games, the last three of which have also seen them fail to score.
The Blues were unbeaten in their first six league games of the current campaign, picking up 16 points courtesy of five wins and a draw, but since then their form has dipped and they have added just 10 more from a possible 27.
However, they remain fifth and very much in the promotion battle as they make the long trip to Devon to face a 15th-placed Plymouth Argyle side hammered 4-0 at home by Rochdale in midweek to make it three defeats on the bounce and just one point from their last four league fixtures.
Hawkins said: "We’re in a tough period with so many games, especially with all the injuries we have that means we don’t have our full squad available. But despite all that we are still in a play-off place and plenty of other teams are not consistent, winning a couple but then losing two.
"When you take a step back and look at the overall situation you know there are better things to come from us. We know we are capable of pushing on and having a real good end to this year and start of the new one.
"There are a lot of big teams in this league and we are one of them. You’re not seeing a team win every game and I think it’s going to be like that right through to the end of the season. We will do the best we can with the players we have available.
"Maybe 0-0 at Oxford on Tuesday doesn’t look pretty but it’s a good away point in the situation we’re in. We look forward to getting our injured players back because you need to have a consistent team every week to do really well.”
Meanwhile, the giant striker has revealed he was once rejected by Fulham — because he was too small. "It’s a true story,” the 6ft 5ins striker laughed. "I was in the development squad at Fulham and believe it or not the reason I wasn’t chosen was that I wasn’t big enough.
"When I was younger I was really small and really quick. But they weren’t that interested because they wanted players who looked older than they were and I didn’t fit the bill.
"It knocked my confidence a bit and once I grew and developed — at 18 or 19 I had really shot up — and there was interest again but I was actually a bit scared to go for it because of the way I was turned down when I was younger.
"I was never too interested in the academy route, if you like, but as I grew up and became bigger and stronger, I realised I was capable of progressing as a footballer.
"After I left school I went straight to being a painter and decorator in my dad’s firm. It’s a family business with my uncle and they own a paint shop in Richmond. He’s been worked in it for 30-odd years. I also played football and wanted to do as well as I could at it but my main interest was just working and socialising with friends.
"Once I got older and realised what life was all about, and what you need to support a family, it all worked out. I took my chance when I was able to when I was a bit older.
"But compared to the young players who come through from the academies, I was playing non-league — real men’s football — from the age of 17. I knew I had to be tough and I knew I had to take a lot of heat.
"In that sort of environment I knew it could benefit me in terms of progressing as a player. I stayed humble, took my opportunities when they came along and I’m still the same now. I saw it all in non-league and now I can concentrate on where I am.”
Hawkins was at non-league clubs Hillingdon Borough, neighbours Northwood, Hemel Hempstead Town and Harrow Borough before signing a two and a half year deal in January 2016 with League Two outfit Dagenham & Redbridge, where he could not prevent them being relegated to the National League a few months later.
In August 2017 he joined Portsmouth on a three-year deal and was released in the summer before Town boss Paul Lambert signed him in August on a two-year contract. He added: "Every time I move club and they hear I used to be a painter and decorator the players ask the same question — "Do you want to come and paint my house?”
"I never have and I never would, although I do all my own stuff at home when my missus asks and it’s something I could revert back to when my football career is over. I have a trade so if I want or need to pick it back up again maybe I could.
"All my best mates are the mates I grew up with and played football with on Saturdays and Sundays. I’m away from them a lot these days but I still see myself as one of them, a painter and decorator-slash-footballer. I don’t see myself as a professional footballer, so it’s a bit weird, and as long as I have my friends around I’m very humble in that respect.”