Haunstrup seeking Pompey opportunity after cruel intervention

The 21-year-old was in the form of his senior career at Fratton Park before injury heartlessly intervened.

A six-game stint stretching to Boxing Day coincided with five victories and four-successive clean sheets as the Blues put themselves in the play-off frame.

It represented Haunstrup’s second spell in Kenny Jackett’s side this season – and by far the most impressive.

Then, in the final minute of a Boxing Day victory over AFC Wimbledon, the full-back twisted his right knee.

A scan also uncovered tendonitis. He has yet to feature in the first-team since, although he has served as an unused substitute in the past three matches.

But Haunstrup is edging ever closer and on Tuesday afternoon featured for the reserves in a friendly victory over the Royal Navy.

He said: ‘Everything happens in the last minute. I dislocated my shoulder against Bournemouth at the very end during the 2016 pre-season – and then that happened against AFC Wimbledon!

‘The ball went over my head and I have gone to volley it, planting my right foot on the floor and I felt a click in my knee.

‘I knew something wasn’t quite right, it was obvious. They scanned it and found a bit of tendonitis around it, while outside the knee was a bit dodgy as well. At the time it was definitely the best I had been playing in the first-team.

‘For any player, you look at yourself and think “I’ve got a run in the team here” and then you believe you’re doing well so it’s about keeping that place. It is in your control.

‘Then injury happens – and it’s totally out of your control!

‘Mentally it has been quite a hard time, especially with something like that. The very first time I’d felt I was holding my place in the team and that happened.

‘But you’ve just got to get your head down and work hard to get back – which I’ve now done. It’s all good now.

‘For me, it’s about going back out there now and trying to win back a first-team place.’

Dion Donohue has, of course, profited from Haunstrup’s unfortunate absence.

The summer recruit from Chesterfield has taken on the left-back role in 11 of the past 12 matches, producing some excellent displays along the way.

Such has been Donohue’s level of performance in a position he is still adjusting to, Wolves loanee Sylvain Deslandes has been restricted to just the single appearance.

Haunstrup’s return to fitness has added even more competition at left-back, with the reserve encounter earlier this week offering vital match minutes.

Mark Kelly’s side won 4-0, with Dan Smith bagging a hat-trick and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain also netting.

And Haunstrup, who is out of contract in the summer, is striving to once again catch Jackett’s attention.

He added: ‘I’m just trying to get as many minutes as I can.

‘I was gutted about the injury, it felt like I was kicking on. That’s part and parcel of football, you must deal with it.

‘Now it’s for me to get back into the gaffer’s eye and hopefully do well.’