Kelvin Davis is facing a race against time to be fit to face Portsmouth on Sunday.

The Saints keeper missed last weekend’s game at Blackpool with a calf injury sustained in training, which led to Bartosz Bialkowski’s nightmare performance at St Mary’s.

Bialkowski is on stand-by to play in the massive derby game at Fratton Park but Saints are desperate to get Davis back between the posts if they possibly can.

The 35-year-old, who is one game shy of making it 250 appearances for the club, will also be keen to get a first crack against Pompey at Fratton Park, having only taken on Saints’ fiercest rivals in the 4-1 FA Cup defeat at St Mary’s in February 2010.

n Continued on page 45 Kelvin’s race against time Saints have had to be cautious, though, so as not to risk making the muscular problem any worse.

The good news is that Davis has an extra day to try and ready himself for action.

If the game was in a regular Saturday slot, the race for fitness is one he would be unlikely to win.

However, the extra 24 hours could be the key factor in him being fit to start.

Davis had started 88 consecutive league games for Saints before the injury that ruled him out of the 2-2 draw against Blackpool, and ended a 21-game winning streak at St Mary’s.

Saints have also been working hard to build up Bialkowski’s shattered confidence following that match.

The Polish stopper endured a torrid time throughout the game, which culminated in him conceding a shocking goal.

After the match Nigel Adkins attempted to back his man and will have been working on trying to repair some of the damage done following the experience.

Not only has Adkins, a former goalkeeper himself, repeatedly stated his faith in Bialkowski but is also aware that he might yet need him in the fire and brimstone atmosphere at Fratton Park.

Bialkowski has only played in nine first team games since the start of last season and, up until the Blackpool appearance, all were in cups.