The Cobblers began the 2013/14 season with a 1-0 reverse at York City courtesy of a 90th minute goal and suffered a similar fate at Plymouth Argyle at the beginning of November.
Yet it is the lack of goals rather than late goals conceded which is causing sleepless nights about potential relegation to the Conference.
Town have failed to score in 9 of their 11 games away from home and that is placing too much pressure on a defence that has looked relatively solid in the past couple of months (the Wycombe game excepted).
King must try and break the drought on Sunday when Northampton will play in front of their biggest league gate of the season at Fratton Park. Pompey ended a nine-match winless run by edging past Dagenham and Redbridge on Boxing Day.