New recruit Reeco Hackett-Fairchild handed Portsmouth bow at Walsall

Reeco Hackett-Fairchild has been handed his Pompey debut in tonight’s trip to Walsall.
Reeco Hackett-Fairchild (left) has been handed his Pompey debut at Walsall in tonight's Leasing.com Trophy match. Picture: Alex Morton/Getty ImagesReeco Hackett-Fairchild (left) has been handed his Pompey debut at Walsall in tonight's Leasing.com Trophy match. Picture: Alex Morton/Getty Images
Reeco Hackett-Fairchild (left) has been handed his Pompey debut at Walsall in tonight's Leasing.com Trophy match. Picture: Alex Morton/Getty Images

The 21-year-old, who yesterday arrived at Fratton Park from Bromley, has been pitched straight into Kenny Jackett’s starting XI in the Leasing.com Trophy fixture.

He is among seven changes to the side which won at Fleetwood in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

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Gareth Evans returns to skipper the Blues, while Haji Mnoga is given his first outing of the season.

Pompey’s formation is presently not clear, with three central defenders named – Paul Downing, Christian Burgess and Sean Raggett.

While there is no left-back included, with Hackett-Fairchild the sole left-footer in the starting XI, raising the possibility of a wing-back system.

As reported by The News yesterday, Brett Pitman is not included in squad for tonight’s match, while Ronan Curtis is 19th man.

Pompey: MacGillivray, Downing, Burgess, Raggett, Mnoga, Hackett-Fairchild, Close, Harness, Evans, Marquis, Hawkins.

Subs: Bass, Bolton, Cannon, Casey, Seddon, Harrison, Naylor.

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