Haunstrup seeking Pompey opportunity after cruel intervention
The 21-year-old was in the form of his senior career at Fratton Park before injury heartlessly intervened.
A six-game stint stretching to Boxing Day coincided with five victories and four-successive clean sheets as the Blues put themselves in the play-off frame.
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Hide AdIt represented Haunstrup’s second spell in Kenny Jackett’s side this season – and by far the most impressive.
Then, in the final minute of a Boxing Day victory over AFC Wimbledon, the full-back twisted his right knee.
A scan also uncovered tendonitis. He has yet to feature in the first-team since, although he has served as an unused substitute in the past three matches.
But Haunstrup is edging ever closer and on Tuesday afternoon featured for the reserves in a friendly victory over the Royal Navy.
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Hide AdHe said: ‘Everything happens in the last minute. I dislocated my shoulder against Bournemouth at the very end during the 2016 pre-season – and then that happened against AFC Wimbledon!
‘The ball went over my head and I have gone to volley it, planting my right foot on the floor and I felt a click in my knee.
‘I knew something wasn’t quite right, it was obvious. They scanned it and found a bit of tendonitis around it, while outside the knee was a bit dodgy as well. At the time it was definitely the best I had been playing in the first-team.
‘For any player, you look at yourself and think “I’ve got a run in the team here” and then you believe you’re doing well so it’s about keeping that place. It is in your control.
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Hide Ad‘Then injury happens – and it’s totally out of your control!
‘Mentally it has been quite a hard time, especially with something like that. The very first time I’d felt I was holding my place in the team and that happened.
‘But you’ve just got to get your head down and work hard to get back – which I’ve now done. It’s all good now.
‘For me, it’s about going back out there now and trying to win back a first-team place.’
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Hide AdDion Donohue has, of course, profited from Haunstrup’s unfortunate absence.
The summer recruit from Chesterfield has taken on the left-back role in 11 of the past 12 matches, producing some excellent displays along the way.
Such has been Donohue’s level of performance in a position he is still adjusting to, Wolves loanee Sylvain Deslandes has been restricted to just the single appearance.
Haunstrup’s return to fitness has added even more competition at left-back, with the reserve encounter earlier this week offering vital match minutes.
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Hide AdMark Kelly’s side won 4-0, with Dan Smith bagging a hat-trick and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain also netting.
And Haunstrup, who is out of contract in the summer, is striving to once again catch Jackett’s attention.
He added: ‘I’m just trying to get as many minutes as I can.
‘I was gutted about the injury, it felt like I was kicking on. That’s part and parcel of football, you must deal with it.
‘Now it’s for me to get back into the gaffer’s eye and hopefully do well.’