Portsmouth defender poised for comeback and out-of-favour pair to get match minutes in Bournemouth friendly

Connor Ogilvie is poised to make his injury comeback in a Pompey behind-closed-doors fixture.
Connor Ogilvie's last League One appearance was at Doncaster in August, yet he is poised to return to action at Bournemouth on Wednesday. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/PinPepConnor Ogilvie's last League One appearance was at Doncaster in August, yet he is poised to return to action at Bournemouth on Wednesday. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/PinPep
Connor Ogilvie's last League One appearance was at Doncaster in August, yet he is poised to return to action at Bournemouth on Wednesday. Picture: Daniel Chesterton/PinPep

And Gassan Ahadme and Michael Jacobs will also be handed rare match minutes in Wednesday’s friendly with Bournemouth.

Taking place at the Championship side’s training ground, the fixture offers much-needed competitive action for Danny Cowley’s fringe players.

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It is particularly timely for Ogilvie, who has recently returned following five games out with a quad injury.

Despite now back in full training for more than a week, the former Gillingham man has still to be considered for first-team duty.

Cowley is eager for Ogilvie’s availability, seeing his summer recruit as a left-sided centre-half candidate for his back-three system.

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Once fit, the 25-year-old is a more natural fit than midfielder Shaun Williams in a formation which has been employed for the last four games.

Pompey are without a match this weekend and will next be in action on October 12 in the Papa John’s Trophy against Sutton United.

In the meantime, the Bournemouth friendly offers not merely Ogilvie with a comeback opportunity, it gives Ahadme and Jacobs the chance to feature.

Norwich loanee Ahadme has been excluded from the Blues’ last six squads, after featuring regularly at the season’s start.

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There was an appearance against Basingstoke in the Hampshire Senior Cup, in which he netted in a penalty shoot-out triumph for Pompey.

However, his last first-team involvement was the 5-3 loss at AFC Wimbledon in the Papa John’s Trophy in September.

Since then, he has failed to make the match-day 18 for six successive League One outings.

Jacobs is another not to have made a Pompey appearance since that Plough Lane defeat at the start of last month.

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Yet the former Wigan man has been an unused substitute in the Blues’ last two outings.

Wednesday’s encounter with Bournemouth could also see involvement for Louis Thompson, Alex Bass, Paul Downing and George Hirst.

The team is likely to be bolstered by youngsters Harry Jewitt-White, Izzy Kaba and Alfie Bridgman.

The fixture is behind closed doors, with Bournemouth stipulating the match is not given media coverage.

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