'No-nonsense' Sean Raggett earns Portsmouth praise after Norwich loanee's re-emergence

And Lee Brown is hoping ever-improving Sean Raggett can maintain his promising re-emergence into Pompey’s starting XI.

The pairing of the Norwich loanee and Christian Burgess represented the sixth centre-half partnership of the season – yet has now conceded one goal in three matches.

It’s encouraging early days from the duo, who Kenny Jackett turned to in his search for an effective defensive double act.

Raggett had struggled with his initial impact following his summer arrival, but returned to strengthen the Blues’ rearguard.

And Brown has been impressed with the subsequent displays of the 26-year-old.

The left-back said: ‘Sean is a no-nonsense defender. It does what it says on the tin, he wants to head it, kick it, clear his lines.

‘Is he lovely on the eye? Probably not. He’s not a Matt Clarke sort of defender.

‘He is no-nonsense and you need them in your team sometimes, that bit of grit – and the geezer has been walking around with no tooth for a year, which says it all!

‘It’s the same with Burgess, at Doncaster it was one of the best games I have seen him play since I’ve been here, so credit to them both.

‘Sean’s been out a while through injury and, having myself recently missed seven weeks, you feel a bit all over the place in terms of the first half and the first game.

‘So goodness knows what he feels likes after seven months out. It takes quite a while to get your distances right, your timing, it’s not a case of going straight back in and picking up where you left off.

‘Time will tell, fingers crossed.’

Meanwhile, Brown has made two appearances since returning from an Achilles problem.

Although the issue continues to nag away.

He added: ‘I’m still feeling it a little, it’s one of those long-lasting injuries where you have to manage.

‘I’m doing rehab and stretching it out, but on the whole it is fine and over time will go.

‘It’s not impacting upon my game at the minute, that’s why I can go out there and play.’