Portsmouth defender walking disciplinary tightrope

Thompson collected a fourth booking in his last seven appearances during Tuesday night's victory at Coventry.

Referee Brett Huxtable cautioned the former Swindon man along with Naylor and Gareth Evans during the 1-0 triumph which keeps the Blues at the top of League One.

Thompson must serve a one-match suspension should he receive a fifth yellow card in Football League competition before November 30.

That leaves him with potentially eight League One matches over two months to negotiate without being booked.

Naylor's Ricoh Arena caution also takes him up to four for the season. However, only three count towards league suspension.

Under directives introduced this term, any bookings in the Carabao Cup will not carry over into the Football League campaign.

It means Naylor's yellow in August's Carabao Cup defeat to AFC Wimbledon is not tallied to his League One total.

So effectively, the combative midfielder has three bookings ahead of the November 30 cut-off point.

Similarly, since August 2016, red cards and cautions in the Checkatrade Trophy do not contribute towards Premier League or Football League totals.

Naylor joins Ben Thompson and Ben Close in being cautioned three times in League One this season

 According to disciplinary rules, a player who receives 10 yellow cards by the second Sunday in April would warrant a ban.

Incidentally, Matt Clarke is the only outfield first-team regular starter to not yet be booked this season.