Disciplinary clock ticking as Portsmouth newcomer bids to avoid another midfielder set-back for luckless Blues

Pompey are hoping Owen Moxon can safely negotiate his disciplinary tightrope to avoid losing yet another central midfielder.

The 26-year-old arrived from Carlisle for an undisclosed fee at the end of the January transfer window - and was accompanied by eight yellow cards.

Moxon has yet to be booked during his five Pompey outings so far, including starting against Charlton last weekend.

However, he remains two bookings away from reaching 10 for the season - and an automatic two-match ban.

With the cut-off point for punishment up until and including the 37th game of the League One season, Moxon has two matches remaining.

That throws up the necessity of avoiding being cautioned against both Oxford United (March 2) and Blackpool (March 9) to escape suspension.

Should the worst-case scenario occur - and taking into account existing injuries - Marlon Pack would be left as the league leaders’ only available central midfielder for two matches.

Effectively the visit of Burton to Fratton Park on March 12 will mark the start of a bookings amnesty for Moxon, unless he reaches 15 before the season’s end.

Bookings are competition-specific, with his eight all arriving in league fixtures for Carlisle this season, including a spell of four yellows in five games from the end of December.

Pompey team-mate Jack Sparkes is also on eight at present and under threat of a two-match ban should he be cautioned in each of the next two matches.

However, unless Connor Ogilvie is sidelined after his blow to the head at Charlton, the likelihood is the former Exeter man will be on the bench for both.

Elsewhere, Joe Rafferty is on nine bookings, although only seven have arrived in the league, therefore cannot reach 10 before the deadline.

Abu Kamara has seven in total, of which six have been in the league. He has now gone nine matches without a yellow card.

In terms of midfielder injuries, Alex Robertson and Joe Morrell are ruled out for the season, while Ben Stevenson (knee) and Tom Lowery (hamstring) are expected back towards the end of March.