Highly-regarded Portsmouth pair in the frame for Gosport Borough switch

Borough joint-head coaches Pat Suraci and Joe Lea are finalising loan deals for Toby Steward and Harvey Laidlaw.

The Blues are keen for the promising pair to maintain their encouraging development by playing regular first-team football in the forthcoming season.

And the Southern League Premier South club is poised to be the destination for the home-grown duo who Pompey rate so highly.

Attacking left-back Laidlaw created Destiny Ojo’s winner in Saturday’s 1-0 win at the Hawks, providing an excellent first-half cross from the left which was headed home.

He also appeared off the bench in the final 26 minutes of Friday evening’s last-gasp 3-1 triumph over Gosport, ironically the club he is about to join.

Laidlaw, whose late granddad Joe captained Pompey, was named Academy Player Of The Season last term, having made his first-team debut aged 16 years, eight months and 12 days.

That outing was in the Papa Johns Trophy against Aston Villa under-21s in October.

Meanwhile, Steward also started the triumph over the Hawks, representing his first appearance of pre-season.

Pompey led 1-0 at Westleigh Park when he was replaced at half-time by Josh Oluwayemi in a pre-determined substitution.

That remained the scoreline as the Blues collected their second victory within 24 hours, following their Privett Park success.

The 18-year-old Steward previously went on loan to the Rocks and, briefly, Salisbury last season to aid his development.

Following the signing of ex-Burnley keeper Will Norris, John Mousinho is eager to loan out Steward and Oluwayemi for the 2023-24 campaign to get them regular football.

In turn, the Blues plan to recruit a new number two to serve as back-up to Norris and occupy the Fratton Park bench.

Gosport finished 17th last season as Mark Molesley kept them in Southern League Premier South after being dragged into a relegation fight.

However, following the summer arrivals of Suraci and Lea from Petersfield, Borough harbour hopes of challenging further up the table.

Steward has still to make his Pompey debut, despite having been around the first-team squad during the last two seasons and named among the substitutes.