Jackett: Why I dropped Pitman from Portsmouth squad

And Pompey’s boss insists the first-team door remains open for last season’s 25-goal striker.

On Saturday, for the first time in his Fratton Park career, the skipper was axed from Jackett’s 18-man match-day squad.

According to the manager, Pitman was not even in the stands watching the subsequent 1-1 draw with Doncaster.

In the 31-year-old’s absence, Omar Bogle netted on his Fratton debut, making it two in two appearances since arriving from Cardiff.

Fellow newcomer James Vaughan appeared at half-time, while fit-again Oli Hawkins remained on the bench.

But that was no room for the club captain.

Jackett said: ‘Brett wasn't selected, we’ve gone with other options in terms of our forward line. We have good options.

‘He will keep competing and working for a place. Tuesday's game at QPR he will be competing again for that place and similarly for Plymouth.

‘Whether he is selected or not, his attitude has been good and always wants to play for Portsmouth.

‘He’ll be doing everything he can now to get back into the team, that’s his job.

‘Brett’s obviously disappointed but, coming off at half-time against Luton, we are going to go with Omar and then have obviously signed James Vaughan, with Oli around as well.

‘I do think Gareth Evans has something in the 10 position, particularly in terms of goalscoring off a big man.

‘They were the options we used on Saturday and they are the positions he (Pitman) is competing for.’

Pitman has scored 32 goals in 69 appearances since joining from Ipswich in the summer of 2017.

He still has 18-months remaining on his contract, yet appears to have now slipped further out of the first-team frame.

The former Bournemouth man has netted seven times in 28 appearances this term, with more than half of those appearances coming off the bench.

Meanwhile, Jackett is hoping this week’s flurry of attacking recruits can get the Blues back on track.

The draw may have ended three-successive league defeats, yet his side are now third – seven points adrift of leaders Luton.

Jackett added; ‘We want to bed down, find a rhythm and do everything we can to get back to winning ways.

‘There were little good things about the performance such as we put a lot of pressure on them, but couldn’t find the decisive moments.

‘I think we have enough good players that, if we can keep them fit and available, can go on the type of run that can get us back.

‘Certainly they can give the top sides in this division a run for their money.’