Portsmouth boss addresses Ben Stevenson's return date - and clarifies Hawks loanee's availability

Ben Stevenson is still another four weeks away from first-team consideration, according to John Mousinho.

While a potential Harry Jewitt-White recall is off the table after the Blues clarified the terms of his Hawks loan.

With Tom Lowery’s hamstring injury ruling him out for the foreseeable future, Owen Moxon will be handed midfield duties alongside Marlon Park for Saturday’s visit of Reading.

Mousinho believes Myles Peart-Harris and Conor Shaughnessy are also genuine considerations, with both having experience in the role.

However, fellow central midfielder Stevenson is not expected back until mid-March as he continues rehabilitation following knee ligament damage sustained at the start of last month.

Mousinho told The News: ‘Ben’s coming on well, there are no problems in terms of his rehab, but recovering from surgery takes the time it takes.

‘Hopefully we’ll have him back in 2-3 weeks in terms of his training. We must make sure we take it steady, as we do all the long-term injuries, particularly those who have had surgery. They have to be introduced into the fold slowly and methodically.

‘Mid-March is realistic and we still have plenty of football to be played, that’s six weeks of football remaining.

‘Ben will be a good option, hopefully before the end of the season, but, at the minute, we have to look at the short-term options, that’s the major concern for us.

‘With the short-term options, we feel we have plenty of cover there, but the quicker you can get players like Ben back the better.

‘One game Ben played which really stands out was Port Vale at Fratton Park. We had a couple of suspensions and he came in, played really well and we won 2-0.

‘Since then it has been difficult for him because any partnership between Joe Morrell, Marlon and Alex Robertson has been really, really solid and they have been really, really impressive.

‘It’s a bit of a shame for Ben that he hasn’t been around when there’s been a couple of opportunities in the middle of the park, but he has to get himself fit and hopefully have a part to play for the rest of the season.’

Meanwhile, there will be no recall for Jewitt-White, who has impressed in recent months during a season-long loan with the Hawks.

Mousinho had weighed up a possible early return for the 19-year-old, but discovered there’s no option.

He added: ‘There is no recall for Harry, it’s something we checked off the back of Tom’s injury.

‘It definitely would have been an option because he’s been in pretty good form for Havant. But, at the moment, what’s best for the first-team is probably the players we mentioned, who are ahead of Harry.

‘Recalling him would have been a bit of a waste of time for him. The best thing for him is to keep developing - not that it’s in our hands anyway.’