Ex-West Ham and Lincoln man gives Portsmouth huge injury boost - and stokes up battle for problem position

Anthony Scully has handed Pompey a huge injury boost - and been reassured there’s a first-team spot waiting for him.

The Blues have struggled to find a consistent solution at left-wing since the former Lincoln man was sidelined by a knee injury in August.

Abu Kamara, Gavin Whyte, Tino Anjorin and even Jack Sparkes have been handed the role during the opening 16 league matches, with mixed results.

Still, Scully is now back working on grass and, although still with the physios, is expected to be available for selection before the end of the year.

And having previously been ruled out until January 2024, that accelerated return is being greeted enthusiastically by John Mousinho, particularly in terms of filling the left-flank vacancy.

He told The News: ‘Thinking conservatively, when Anthony first got injured we thought it was a lay-off maybe into 2024.

‘Now we may see him before the New Year. Don’t hold me to that, but that’s something we can possibly look forward to if he keeps progressing as he has done over the past couple of weeks.

‘Maybe he won’t be playing in a game before the end of the year, but he could be available for selection. It’s a difficult one when you’ve been out for that amount of time, you've got to be really careful.

‘He can then show the reasons we signed him. This is a player who had a lot of pedigree going into this season and I think the left wing is available to him.

‘Certainly it's a position that, when we lost Anthony, we needed to make sure we filled and Abu has done a terrific job there, we know he’s grown in confidence over the past couple of weeks.

‘He’s looking a lot more comfortable out there, although hasn’t played a huge amount of football in that role.

‘We’ve had a couple of other options out there. Jack Sparkes has played there and unfortunately can’t at the moment with Connor Ogilvie’s injury, Gavin Whyte has done it, Tino was more of a narrow player, and Josh Martin can play off both flanks.

‘All positions are up for grabs and hopefully that drives Anthony on to come back and make sure he can get into the side.’

The 24-year-old damaged his knee on his Pompey debut on the opening day of the season against Bristol Rovers, but carried on.

In total, he has made six appearances since his June 2023 arrival.

Mousinho added: ‘We know Anthony is a player who, in two previous seasons in League One, scored 11 league goals in each season.

‘He is something very, very different off the left in terms of not necessarily being an out-and-out winger but a right-footed left sider who comes inside on the right foot.’