Portsmouth boss promises 'intelligent decisions' as he considers handing pivotal pair an FA Cup comeback following injury

Tom Lowery and Marlon Pack are both nearing first-team returns following injury and are expected to be available for Morecambe on November 12.

In the meantime, the Blues head to Edgar Street in the FA Cup on Friday (7.55pm) – and Pompey’s head coach must decide whether to risk them.

With League One and promotion ambition taking priority, Cowley could allow the pair a further week before throwing them back into his first-team.

Yet with his squad blighted by injury and unavailability for Hereford, the fixture with the National League North side may offer an opportunity to stage their much-anticipated comeback.

He told The News: ‘The good news is Tom Lowery is training with the group and Marlon Pack is back on grass.

‘Those two back into the squad will be massive to us, both as players and personalities.

‘We have Hereford next and, for us, it’s always to make intelligent decisions

‘We are in early November, there are a lot of games to come, we have to try to make the best decision for the player, the best decision for the group, and in the context.

‘We have the benefit of all the data, so we are living in the Big Brother house in terms of knowing exactly every time a player breathes, every time a player makes a step, we take all of that information on board and try to make some intelligent decisions.’

Sean Raggett’s back has settled down and he is also in contention for Hereford, although, once again, the Blues may decide not to risk him.

Elsewhere, Harry Jewitt-White and Dan Gifford are cup-tied after turning out in the FA Cup earlier in the campaign for Gosport and Weymouth respectively.

Cowley will instead turn to some members of Pompey’s Academy, who will link-up with the squad after playing against Three Bridges in the FA Youth Cup at Fratton Park tonight.

He added: ‘Some of those (Academy) lads are going to have a busy day because they’re going to play and then travel.

‘They will be travelling down to the hotel this evening to join the rest of the first-team squad.

‘It’s the schedule we have been given, it wouldn't be my preference, but we don’t have that much control so we just have to do our best.‘