Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley provides injury update on Joe Morrell and Louis Thompson after their early withdrawals against Lincoln

Both central midfielders had to be withdrawn early from today’s 3-2 win against Lincoln as the Blues played a second game in less than 72 hours following Tuesday night’s 3-2 success over Rotherham.

Thompson was initially a doubt for the visit of the Imps after he picked up a hand injury against the Millers.

He once again made the starting XI against Michael Appleton’s side but was replaced by Shaun Williams on 71 minutes with a calf complaint.

Meanwhile, Morrell had to be withdrawn 12 minutes in after what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Cowley was relieved, however, as he admitted it was, instead, a dead leg.

Yet he added it was a ‘severe’ one, which makes the Welsh international an immediate doubt for Monday’s trip to Morecambe.

Speaking to BBC Solent after the victory over Lincoln, the Blues boss said: ‘It’s a dead leg (for Morrell).

It was a contact injury so that’s the good news – but it’s a pretty severe dead leg, so it’s pretty tough.

‘(With Thompson) his calf just tightened up.

‘We had so many suffering out there – Marcus Harness, Michael Jacobs.

‘But I liked our strength of character.

‘There were many excuses the players could have had, but they chose not to take them, they chose to find a way – and in football, if you want to be a successful team, you have to do that sometimes.’

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