LATEST: Portsmouth fear losing Owen Dale as Blackpool weigh up recall for winger

Pool boss Michael Appleton has confirmed he is weighing up taking the winger back to Bloomfield Road in the new year.

The Championship side have been decimated by injuries and illness, and the former Pompey boss has outlined how he wants to cover himself if a similar scenario develops at the start of 2023.

Dale didn’t play in Friday’s FA Cup win over Hereford, after his parent club refused permission for the 24-year-old to feature at Edgar Street.

That was a blow with the former Crewe man largely impressing since sealing a season-long loan move in August.

There is a January recall clause in that agreement, however, with Appleton keen for Dale to be available to him if a return to Lancashire is actioned.

Blackpool didn’t want their player cup-tied as they enter the competition at the third round stage in the new year, coming off the back of the busy Christmas period.

Of their players out on loan it was only Dale and Doug Tharme, who is with Accrington, who were refused permission to play. Oliver Casey (Forest Green), Reece James (Sheffield Wednesday), Matty Virtue (Lincoln) and Beryly Lubala (Colchester) all featured for their loan sides at the weekend.

Appleton has made it clear he has to protect his club’s interests first when it comes to Dale.

He said: ‘I’m mindful that the FA Cup game is early January, so we will review the squad we’ve got and potential players coming in.

‘The reality is, there are a lot of games in that short period of time before the FA Cup tie, so if we feel we need to freshen things up and those guys are available and they don’t remain with the clubs they’re at right now for whatever reason, then at least we’re keeping our options open.

‘As it stands at the minute, that’s not me saying players are going to be called back or anything, it’s just giving ourselves half a chance just in case we find ourselves in a similar situation to what we are right now.’

Dane Scarlett also didn’t feature against Hereford on Friday night, but Danny Cowley has indicated the Spurs loanee will be be able to play in the second round across the weekend of November 26.

Pompey’s other loanees Josh Koroma (Huddersfield), Joe Pigott (Ipswich) and Josh Griffiths (West Brom) all picked up minutes in the 3-1 success.

Elsewhere, Pompey are still without Marlon Pack, but the key midfielder is back in training after three weeks out with a hamstring injury.

Joe Rafferty will be out for around three months after having surgery on a groin problem with Michael Jacobs also sidelined (hamstring).

Joe Morrell missed the Hereford game through illness, but Sean Raggett featured after struggling with a back issue while Tom Lowery’s return after a hamstring issue gave a timely boost to Cowley’s midfield options.