Lowe ready to answer Pompey defensive SOS

The Blues’ attacking talent has stated he is more than happy to fill in as a makeshift right-back against Scunthorpe this weekend.

Kenny Jackett could be left with a dearth of options in the position after Nathan Thompson limped off against Chelsea under-21s on Tuesday night.

Thompson came off with an ankle injury in the second half before Ben Close’s quad problem left Pompey to finish the game with 10 men.

In the absence of a specialist in the position, Lowe filled in for the final 37 minutes of the 2-1 loss.

With Gareth Evans also missing with a hamstring injury, the 23-year-old may be asked to continue there against the promotion chasers at Fratton Park.

The 23-year-old admitted it’s not a role he’s played in before but he would be happy to operate anywhere to aid Pompey’s cause.

And Lowe is confident, with the defensive improvements he has made this season, he’d do himself justice.

He said: ‘It’s a new one for me. One way or another I’ve found myself there.

‘Hopefully, Nathan’s injury is not too bad and he recovers soon.

‘We might not need to see me at right-back but then we might. And if we do, it’s something I will have to embrace. I will try my best.

‘Defending has been a massive thing this season. The amount of clean sheets we’ve got has shown we defend as a team. It’s a massive key to our game.

‘My defending has needed to develop and I’ve had to get better at it.

‘I think if I did need to fill in at right-back I’d be able to do an okay job.

‘If needs be, I’m going to be there to do it.’

Lowe knows Pompey face a stiff challenge as they welcome Graham Alexander’s side to Fratton Park this weekend.

He is out for revenge after defeat at Glanford Park in September – as the Blues look to beat one of the five sides above them for the first time.

Lowe said: ‘They’re another team who are up there.

‘Away from home they sucker-punched us a bit.

‘It will be nice to get revenge for that and pick up momentum again and push forward towards staying in the top six.

‘It wasn’t nice up at their place and it’s a good opportunity to get one back on them and get back into good form.

‘We’re going to need to beat teams above us to stay where we are.

‘It’s all good beating the teams below you but the real test is beating the ones above you.

‘That’s what we want to do and need to push to do.

‘I think it (beating the teams above Pompey) will be telling. I think it’s consistency. We should be able to beat a team who’s bottom and fourth.

‘It shouldn’t be we win against this team and we’ll lose to them.

‘We want to build a consistent level of performance.’