Double injury boost for Portsmouth as Danny Cowley seeks light amid treatment room gloom

Pompey boss Danny Cowley has revealed a double injury boost for Pompey.
Skipper Clark Robertson has been missing since mid-September and proven to be a huge absence for Pompey. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImagesSkipper Clark Robertson has been missing since mid-September and proven to be a huge absence for Pompey. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages
Skipper Clark Robertson has been missing since mid-September and proven to be a huge absence for Pompey. Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages

Striker Ellis Harrison is back training on grass following injury to his left ankle and is pencilled in for a return in a fortnight.

While skipper Clark Robertson has now stepped up his rehabilitation process, six weeks after surgery on his tendon.

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Although Cowley is unwilling to put a precise date on when the Scottish centre-half is expected to be available.

Still, the duo represent chinks of light amid a gloomy outlook on Pompey injuries at present.

With two fresh casualties sustained in the FA Cup win over Harrow Borough, which Pompey’s head coach has declined to name, there could be 14 fit first-teamers for Saturday’s trip to Wycombe.

And the Blues need all the optimism they can garner at present.

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Cowley told The News: ‘Saturday represented six weeks after the operation for Clark, which was a moment we were able to increase the amount of training he does.

‘That means he can now work on the bike and has definitely stepped up his rehabilitation process.

‘There is no timeframe, we just want him back as soon as possible.

‘Ellis is back on the grass. Although it is still a bit swollen around the ankle, he’s back running and starting to do a bit of gradual changing of direction work.

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‘We are hopeful he should be able to train free with the group next week.

‘Football is a contact sport, sometimes you are going to pick up these injuries, but I don’t think I’ve had Ellis available for a League One game or where he has been anywhere near full fitness.

‘So it has been a frustrating time for us, but, more importantly, it’s the player you feel for.’

Robertson has been sidelined since mid-September after tearing his quad on the training ground.

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In the case of Harrison, he collected a bad challenge on his ankle just 10 minutes into a substitute appearance against Sutton United last month,

So far he has missed the last seven matches in what has been a frustrating year on the injury front for the ex-Ipswich man.

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