STEVE WIGLEY is hoping to put one over his former roommate Ray Lewington as he looks to inject some momentum into Saints' season.

Wigley and Lewington have remained close friends since their playing days together at Sheffield United and now come head-to-head as Wigley's Saints face Lewington's Watford for a place in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.

Following their disappointing 2-2 draw against West Brom last Saturday and ahead of their crunch derby match with Pompey this weekend, Wigley is hoping for a timely confidence boost to get his players back on the right track.

He said: "The situation we're in is trying to get some momentum. We're not getting the luxuries and we've got to keep working hard and we need to get momentum.

"If can put back-to-back wins together then it will transform the place, I know that.

"On Saturday we played well and got in front and the game was never a problem and went 2-1 down to a pump down the middle and then the confidence drained a little bit and people that were hitting 15 to 20-yard passes were starting to hit 50-60 yards against a team that was defending deep.

"Fortunately they regrouped in the last 20 minutes and started to play again but that is confidence.

"If you get a couple of wins then you will see people relax and do what they do well.

"My job is try and remove that anxiety but it does become difficult once they cross the white line because people can panic sometimes but with their ability they don't need to."

Wigley may make a couple of changes to the team from Saturday but Antti Niemi, Jason Dodd, James Beattie, Peter Crouch, Graeme Le Saux and Fabrice Fernandes will not be risked with all of those in contention for the Pompey game.

Also out is Neil McCann who fractured his toe after coming on as a sub against the Baggies.

"I'm sure Watford will be very up for the game and we'll have to be very up for the game to win it," said Wigley who hardly dare think back to the last time the two sides met as Saints triumphed in the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 2003.

"You've got to use any game you can to build confidence and if we can beat Watford tonight then we'll feel better about ourselves tomorrow morning which is better preparation for the game against Portsmouth.

"I'd also like to come out of the game at the other end with no injuries because it's not a luxury we've been able to afford.

"On Saturday we lost Antti Niemi before the game and Neil McCann fractured his toe during it.

"Ray Lewington's a good friend of mine. We were roommates at Sheffield Untied and we've stayed in touch and I actually spoke to him before the game at Gillingham the other night when I was on my way to watch them.

"It's nice to renew old acquaintances.

"He's done a fantastic job. Each year he's had to reduce his wage bill and he still keeps them very competitive."

Wigley admits one comfort for him is the club's four-game unbeaten run, that they haven't gone under in any game and managed to regain their composure to at least gain a draw against West Brom.

"I think the one thing we have to do is keep believing in each other," he added.

"I think we do that as a group and as long as we do that then I'm confident we can turn results from draws into wins."