Portsmouth boss addresses Hayden Matthews' first-team future after agonising comeback following eight-month absence

It was a highly ignominious end to a first league start in eight months, yet John Mousinho has backed Hayden Matthews to keep his new-found spot.

The Australian netted the decisive own goal in the Blues’ disappointing 1-0 defeat to Stoke in what was his final touch before hobbling off with cramp.

It was a surprise return to the side for the 21-year-old, who last featured in a league starting XI in February against QPR, when he suffered a season-ending ankle ligament injury.

Nonetheless, Mousinho was delighted with Matthews’ display against the Potters after replacing Josh Knight in the centre of defence following five successive appearances alongside Regan Poole.

And the Australian international is in the frame to retain his hard-earned first-team spot when Pompey visit Birmingham on Saturday.

‘He showed some of the touches which got everybody excited’

Mousinho told The News: ‘Hayden’s fine, he has trained all week. I actually thought he did really well against Stoke and probably showed some of the touches which got everybody excited.

‘When I say touches, I don’t just mean on the ball, it’s defensively, the athleticism he can display when he actually uses his height and physicality.

‘We all know what a good defender is and I thought he showed some of those, the bits which got us excited in January and February last season.

‘It was about feeling his way back into the side on Saturday, making sure he was competitive again and, unfortunately at the wrong moment, he ended up not quite being able to get to the header which was a real disappointment for us and him.

‘Overall, though, it was a really positive full league debut for the season.’

Signed from A-League club Sydney FC

The January transfer arrival from Sydney FC had made six successive appearances until collecting his untimely QPR injury in February, including two consecutive starts.

Matthews then returned for the start of pre-season and was a regular presence in Pompey’s friendly programme as he proved himself to be over his ankle problem.

Yet Reading in the Carabao Cup was his sole start until last weekend, with the Blues suffering a 2-1 defeat to the League One club on that occasion.

He subsequently made three substitute outings, yet recent recruit Josh Knight had been preferred as the injured Conor Shaughnessy’s replacement since the September defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

That was until Matthews received the nod to line-up against Stoke last weekend.

‘He had probably earned the chance’

Mousinho added: ‘There were a couple of factors behind Hayden’s selection.

‘First of all physically, with the three games in a week and the output across the two games with Leicester and Coventry was so heavy that we decided to make a change there, particularly with the way we’re asking the centre-halves to press and sometimes go and mark an eight or 10.

‘Hayden has definitely got that physicality and we thought he had probably earned the chance and earned the right to go in and try to prove him. I thought he acquitted himself well.’

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