Lowe targeting goals after ending Pompey '˜drought'

The January arrival has yet to open his Pompey account following nine appearances for Paul Cook’s side.

Having struck 23 times this season before his Fratton Park switch, it represents unfamiliar territory.

By his own admission, Lowe is disappointed by his goal return of late, which includes a blank in last weekend’s victory at Hartlepool.

Yet the 22-year-old signed his name on the scoresheet on Monday night for Pompey’s reserves with a stunning 85th-minute strike.

That was his first at any level since bagging a hat-trick against Norwich under-23s on January 23.

Now Lowe’s striving for more.

He said: ‘Finally – scoring was a bit of relief. For me, that has been so long without a goal.

‘Sometimes you think “I didn’t score last week, nor the week before, in fact not for a while”.

‘If you let it get to you it will rack on your brain week after week and I’ve tried my best to put it to one side.

‘You get all the boys having a bit of banter saying “you’re on a drought” which is cool, you take it with a pinch of salt, they are messing about.

‘But sometimes you do think about it and it’s a case of pulling your finger out and getting back to what you do.

‘I know I can score. You just have to keep believing, so when the chance comes, like Monday, you take it.

‘I’ve not been scoring for the first team and Saturday was my ninth game.

‘For me, that is quite a while without a goal, so I’m sure that will come soon.

‘I’m still adjusting, I’m quite new to the team, I’m still building relationships with different players on the pitch.

‘Once I’ve blended in fully then the goals will come.’

The 2-0 triumph at Hartlepool represented a fourth start for the ex-Hampton & Richmond player.

It was also his first in Pompey’s last nine matches as he replaced hamstring injury victim Carl Baker.

Lowe was handed an opportunity from the bench 48 hours later in the reserves’ Premier League Cup quarter-final with Colchester.

Nicke Kabamba opened the scoring – and it was left to the 64th-minute substitute to seal the success.

Lowe added: ‘I won a tackle on the halfway line, had a look but didn’t think there was much on so was going to run it into the corner.

‘Then two defenders got in each other’s way a little bit, I nutmegged one of them and was going to cross it – then thought “I might squeeze one in”.

‘I’ve gone for the shot and it has gone in, so happy days.

‘To be fair, Nicke will tell you, I have shot from that angle so many times, which gets on his nerves because I should just cross to him!

‘The angle was so tight but two out of 10 times it goes in, so why not?’