Portsmouth hand debuts to highly-rated Academy duo in otherwise strong side against Crystal Palace
Pompey have handed debuts to two Academy starlets against Crystal Palace under-21s.
Left-back Harvey Hughes and midfielder Adam Payce start the Blues’ final group match of this season’s Papa John’s Trophy.
Danny Cowley’s side must win to reach the knock-out stages – yet even that may not be enough to qualify.
Hughes is an 18-year-old second-year scholar from Lyndhurst, New Forest, who can also operate as a left-sided central defender.
While Payce is a first-year scholar who has featured 10 times for the Academy this season, netting twice.
They are the only youngsters in an otherwise strong Pompey line-up featuring a number of first-team regulars as they take on Palace’s youngsters.
Sean Raggett, Connor Ogilvie and Miguel Azeez keep their spots from Saturday’s FA Cup win over Harrow Borough and are joined by the likes of George Hirst and Gassan Ahadme.
Haji Mnoga is missing after collecting a shin injury during the foul which saw him red carded for Bromley against Rotherham at the weekend.
Pompey: Bass, Freeman, Raggett, Ogilvie, Hughes, Payce, Thompson, Azeez, Jacobs. Ahadme, Hirst.
Subs: Steward, Kaba, Setters, Howell, Bridgman, Jewitt-White, Gifford.
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