Portsmouth reduced to 14 senior players after Reeco Hackett ruled out for rest of season in latest injury blow

The left-sided attacker suffered knee ligament damage during Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Fleetwood.

He is now waiting to learn whether an operation is required – yet is definitely out for the remainder of the campaign.

It’s yet another injury blow for the Blues, with Kieron Freeman unlikely to play again this term and Shaun Williams also long-term injured.

Regardless, Cowley’s men pulled off an impressive 3-2 triumph over high-flying Oxford United tonight, lifting them into 10th in League One.

Pompey’s head coach told The News: ‘We have lost Reeco now for the rest of the season after an injury, so it’s tough for us at the moment.

‘He picked up an injury in the early part of the second half and played on with it.

‘He’s had it scanned and there’s a rupture to the lateral ligament unfortunately.

‘I am not sure, we’ll see a specialist and we’ll find out whether there needs to be an operation.

‘He’s really disappointed because he’s had a really good season – and we're disappointed because he gives us such flexibility.

‘But this is the season we are having, we are up against it, we are in adversity, things are going against us, but we are fighting hard.

‘When this much goes against you, it actually brings people together.’

Michael Jacobs is also on the injury list, while Ronan Curtis was last night missing through the beginning of a two-match ban.

That forced Cowley to put teenager Liam Vincent on the bench against Oxford, having recently returned to training following an injury-wrecked eight months at Fratton Park.

He was joined by Jay Mingi and Harry Jewitt-White, with Cowley insisting he has 14 available senior players at present.

And next up are Accrington to the south coast as the Blues aim to build on 13 points from their last 15 possible.

Cowley added: ‘I think Shaun Williams will come back this season. It’s amazing, he’s fractured his spine and is making a really good recovery.

‘Kieron still has the boot on and is a long way off, but it’s hard to say whether he’ll be back this season.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can support our local team of expert Pompey writers by subscribing here for all the latest news from Fratton Park for 9p a day, thanks to our 30%-off transfer window deal.