Portsmouth handed much-needed fitness boost in face of worrying setbacks

Connor Ogilvie has given John Mousinho a selection boost with a return to training.

And the Pompey boss has welcomed the defender’s return to the fray as a ‘new signing’, after two-and-a-half months on the sidelines.

Ogilvie hasn’t featured since injuring his ankle in the opening seconds of the 0-0 draw at Cambridge in October. 

That came off the back of five weeks in the treatment room, after injuring his groin in the impressive win at Barnsley last September.

The versatile talent’s return to fray is a shot in the arm for Mousinho’s squad, who are still reeling from the news of Alex Robertson’s season being over.

Meanwhile, Zak Swanson underwent surgery this week for a second time to deal with a troublesome groin issue.

The likes of Tino Anjorin (hamstring), Regan Poole (knee) and Josh Dockerill (knee) are also out for Pompey, while Kusini Yengi is away on Asian Cup duty with Australia.

So Mousinho is pleased to welcome back the former Spurs man to a defence which has stood up to players being unavailable.

Mousinho said: ‘Connor is close and champing at the bit with the S&C department. If he doesn’t return to training with us this week, he will be by next week.

‘We’ll make sure we get everything right with him and he’ll be a real welcome boost to the squad. With the amount of time he’s been out he’ll be like a new signing coming back in.

‘We’ve been restricted in the amount of defenders we could select, but we’ve done a fantastic job with the amount of injuries the back four, in particular, has had.

‘We’ve still got the best defensive record in the league and that’s a testament to the lads and back four - but it’s always good to have that competition.’