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Upbeat Danny Cowley has vowed there will be no feeling sorry for themselves as Pompey’s crippling injury lengthens.

The Blues are reeling from the loss of a number of key performers in recent weeks as their injury woes continue to pile up.

Louis Thompson remains a long-term absentee after sustaining a broken leg against Bristol Rovers in August.

But that is only the tip of the iceberg, with Marlon Pack (hamstring), Tom Lowery (hamstring), Joe Rafferty (stomach muscle), Joe Morrell (back), Jayden Reid (ACL) and Michael Jacobs (hamstring) all on the treatment table.

This saw maiden Football League starts for Zak Swanson and Jay Mingi in a much-changed side for their 1-0 victory against Forest Green last weekend.

Pompey faced a similar crisis in defence last term, when challenged to face Gillingham with no recognised centre-backs.

But Cowley is unfazed – and instead regards the situation as presenting further opportunities for others in his squad.

Speaking on Monday, he told The News: ‘We had some issues at centre-half last year, but it was probably in an area where we had a smaller squad.

Danny Cowley isn't fazed by Pompey's injuries woes, instead insisting it opens opportunities for other members in the squad.

‘This year, we felt midfield was probably our strongest area within the group.

‘Sometimes it rolls like that and we have to try to work through that. It makes selection easier!

‘These are the challenges we have in front of us and they’re challenges we have to overcome.

‘You can waste a lot of energy in negativity, affecting the spirit of the group by winging and moaning about what you haven’t got or you can put all your focus into what you have got and trying to get the best out of them.

‘For us we never see the struggle, we just see the opportunity and in this moment there’s every opportunity. On Saturday, we had two young players make their EFL debuts.’

‘Life is defined by opportunities in the most successful people, when the opportunity comes, they take them. That’s where our focus is at the moment.’

Since Cowley spoke on Monday, Pompey have picked up two further injury concerns, with Sean Raggett and Reeco Hackett having to be withdrawn from their 1-1 draw against Oxford on Tuesday.

Indeed, the head coach explained he’s keeping his cards close to his chest on the full extent of his growing injury list so not to alert forthcoming opposition.

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