Portsmouth boss backs 'brilliant' ex-Huddersfield goalkeeper after poor showing in AFC Wimbledon cup shock

John Mousinho has given his backing to ‘brilliant number two’ Ryan Schofield.

The goalkeeper endured a dreadful night as Pompey slumped 5-2 at home to AFC Wimbledon in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.

The Blues’ head coach made nine changes for the clash with the League Two side, with Schofield replacing Will Norris, as is customary in the competition.

Representing the 24-year-old’s sixth outing for Mousinho’s men, he contributed to at least two of the goals, earning criticism from some sections of the Fratton faithful.

Yet Pompey’s head coach has jumped to the defence of the former Huddersfield man.

Mousinho told The News: ‘Without having seen the goals properly back, I thought Ryan was nice and composed on the ball.

‘He is definitely a really good shot-stopper, I have seen it in training. I will have to look at the goals back, but if any goalkeeper concedes five, he’s probably going to hope he could have done better.

‘With the free-kick, it has gone under the wall, so I don’t think it’s anything to do with him. The fifth goal is an open goal and a tap-in.

‘The bigger issue I have is we are asking our goalkeeper to make saves in the first place. Obviously sometimes we have to do it, but, if you look back at the league performances over the past 3-4 weeks, there aren’t many times Will (Norris) has been called upon.

‘Ryan has been brilliant since he’s been here. He’s a bright spark in the changing room, a very, very popular lad, straight-forward Yorkshireman, and it’s great to have around the place.

‘He has been a brilliant number two and, to be honest, I haven't got a bad word to say about him. To come in from the cold after not having a huge amount of game time is always going to be tough.

‘I back him, that’s why we got him as a number two. If you are dealt that blow (of losing Norris), game time will definitely improve Ryan as well.’

In Schofield’s defence, Wimbledon was a first outing for six weeks, with his last appearance at Leyton Orient in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.

And Mousinho believes that should be taken into consideration.

He added: ‘It is tough coming in, I have been there plenty of times in my career when you come in from not having played that many minutes.

‘It just takes a bit of time. Hopefully not too long with all the players we’ve got, but it just takes a bit of time to adjust to the match pace. It’s the hardest thing, you can’t replicate it in training.’