Portsmouth striker and ex-Bristol Rovers and Ipswich man Ellis Harrison explains why he's shelved trying to be a prolific goalscorer

The selfless striker reckons he’s far more useful to Pompey's promotion push when not just thinking about putting the ball in the back of the net.

Harrison has established himself as a bit of a fans’ favourite following his £450,000 arrival from Ipswich in June.

That’s despite the Welshman not getting his name on the scoresheet on a regular basis during his maiden season with the club.

He’s has bagged 10 goals in 37 appearances, although only six of his efforts came in the league before the coronavirus outbreak suspended the season.

Harrison admitted he tried to be a deadly marksman earlier in his career – but other areas of his game suffered.

The all-action front man conceded he doesn’t have a ‘knack’ of getting into dangerous positions like fellow summer signing John Marquis, who's netted 14 goals this term.

But Harrison’s happy for others to take the glory if it brings success to Kenny Jackett's side.

The ex-Bristol Rovers ace said: ‘There are players out there who score for fun. John is a great goalscorer, while I’ve played with Matty Taylor, who's now at Oxford, and is an unbelievable goalscorer.

‘I've never been that type of striker. I've tried for years and tried too hard.

‘But I reached a point where I thought “if I just think about goals then I’m never going to get better”.

‘Over the years, I've got better when I have thought about the team.

‘Obviously, I’d like to have chipped in with a lot more goals than I have this season, but I maybe haven't got that natural knack in front of goal like some players have.

‘That's why Sergio Aguero is one of the best strikers in the world. It's not a question that the ball just falls to these players, it’s a knack.

‘John has got three goals this season from second balls headed across the goal. I wish I had that because it’s an unbelievable trait to have.

‘But I’m just as happy to head across the goal for someone else to score. I’d never think “he's just stolen my goal” if we score and win the game.’

Harrison’s revelled in regular minutes at Fratton Park, after a back injury kept him in the Ipswich treatment room for a large portion of last term.

Now he's hoping to cap the season off with a return to the Championship when the season does recommence.

‘I'm not going to say I've done amazing this season or I’ve done rubbish,’ added Harrison.

‘It’s been a consistently good season for myself.

‘If we do go up and I’d have scored just one goal then it would have been an amazing season.’