Portsmouth boss convinced 'exceptional' substitute equipped to successfully answer first-team SOS. Again
The back-up keeper is in the frame to replace Nicolas Schmid after his 64-minute cameo against Southampton
John Mousinho has backed Ben Killip to continue deputising for Nicolas Schmid following his ‘exceptional’ St Mary’s audition piece.
Schmid was forced off in the 26th minute of Sunday’s south-coast derby, following a collision with Connor Ogilvie which left the keeper with a suspected fractured right wrist.
That signalled an entrance off the bench for Killip, marking his fourth Pompey outing since being recruited from Barnsley for an undisclosed fee in January.
The 29-year-old subsequently maintained a clean sheet as the clash with Southampton finished goalless, although, by his own admission, Mousinho didn’t believe the replacement had ‘a huge amount to do’.
Nonetheless, with the Blues waiting to learn the full extent of Schmid’s injury, that puts Killip in the frame for a run in the side during the Austrian’s anticipated absence.
Portsmouth boss: He was calm and composed
Mousinho told The News: ‘Part of me wants to pile a huge amount of credit on Ben for Southampton, but he didn’t have a huge amount to do and was very composed.
‘We played him a couple of times in league games towards the back end of last season - Sheffield Wednesday and Hull - as it had no consequence in terms of the league position.
‘I know Ben would have been desperate to play well, which he did in those games, hence we gave him a new contract in the summer. So to come into that (St Mary’s) atmosphere and do as well as he did - and be as calm and composed as he was - I thought was exceptional.
‘You are not going to come away from the game thinking “Oh my God, the goalkeeper, you couldn’t get anything past him. He was brilliant”. It was simply about the overall significance of the match and how well he did.
‘That is why we’ve got him in the building, that’s why we have strengthened the goalkeeping department. I know we’ve had a bit of stick for having four goalkeepers, but that’s why we have it.
‘So, if Nico is out for an extended period of time, we have players who can come in and really compete.
‘Now we have Ben, Joe (Bursik) and Jordan (Archer), with Toby out on loan doing really well at St Johnstone. I think that’s a really competitive goalkeeping department.’
Handed a new two-year Portsmouth deal in June
Initially recruited until the end of last season, Killip impressed sufficiently to be awarded a new two-year deal in June.
He has largely served as Schmid’s back up since his arrival, while Joseph Bursik arrived on deadline day from Club Brugge to add further competition.
Still, Pompey are ready to turn to Killip for Saturday’s visit of Sheffield Wednesday - and Mousinho insists he has no concerns over the keeper’s noticeably poor kicking at St Mary’s.
‘He’ll be absolutely fine’
Pompey’s head coach added: ‘The outfield substitutes can do a few sprints down the touchline, you get that movement into them, yet sometimes they aren’t particularly ready coming on for the pace of the game.
‘But with goalkeepers, the majority of Ben's work on Sunday was kicking. He can’t go down onto the touchline and start pinging balls 60-70 yards, it’s a really tough thing just coming cold off the bench.
‘It didn’t concern me putting him on whatsoever, he is very, very good with his feet and a very good kicker with the ball, so he’ll be absolutely fine.’