Meet Portsmouth's free-scoring striker - and John Mousinho on why he isn't in first-team contention

Shot-shy Pompey have failed to net in six of their last eight matches and now suffer the stigma of being the joint-lowest scorers in the Championship.

Yet while there’s one member of their squad currently blazing the goal trail away from Fratton Park, don’t expect to see him returning to John Mousinho’s first-team just yet.

Highly-rated striker Tayo Singerr has plundered 13 goals in 18 matches since joining Moneyfields on loan in August.

Indeed, having also registered on his Blues debut in the early-season Carabao Cup defeat to Reading, he has as many as Colby Bishop in a Pompey shirt this term.

Since linking up at the John Jenkins stadium on a month-to-month arrangement to aid his development, the second-year scholar has been in fine form for the Isthmian League South Central Division high-fliers.

Playing in front of 96 at Harrow Borough’s Rogers Family Stadium is a far cry from featuring in the presence of 20,388 supporters against Bristol City at Fratton Park in the Championship.

And while toothless Pompey’s goal headache continues, Mousinho is not yet ready to turn to the 17-year-old Singerr to rectify it.

Portsmouth boss: He’s probably not ready at the moment’

The Blues head coach told The News: ‘Tayo’s had a pretty good season and scored a lot of goals, which is the most important thing for a centre-forward.

‘Obviously he has scored for us as well, so that’s where we are, keeping an eye on him. Ultimately, Tayo is a second-year scholar, so we’re going to have to make a decision on him. Nothing soon, but he's made good progress this year.

‘He has a bit of everything, he’s not the biggest, but his movement is good and he can hold the ball up well. The biggest thing with Tayo is what we saw in that Reading game, he has a decent-enough eye for goal and will get across his man.

‘That’s ultimately what centre-forwards are paid to do - score goals - and he has done that in abundance this year.

‘If we thought Tayo was ready we’d call him up and have him with the first-team, but, at the minute, he’s on a good line of progress.

‘He’s probably not ready (for the first-team) at the moment, if we thought he was then we’d have him back. At the minute, he’s doing well where he is.’

Inspiring second-placed Moneyfields

Moneyfields are presently second in the Isthmian League South Central Division, three points behind Leatherhead, with Callum Glen’s side having played two games more than the leaders.

Singerr has been an integral part of their excellent run, having scored on his debut in a 4-4 draw at Binfield at the end of August.

He recently netted in five successive games, before that eye-catching run ended on Tuesday night, albeit with Moneys still running out 3-2 winners.

Last month, the Academy youngster was recognised by the League Football Education (LFE) as one of 11 players across the country producing outstanding efforts on and off the pitch.

Meanwhile, over at Fratton Park, since Jordan Williams’ 89th minute goal against Millwall, Pompey have gone 271 minutes without scoring. They currently total 15 goals in 19 Championship games - the joint-lowest with Sheffield Wednesday.

‘He has shown a lot of promise for someone so young’

Mousinho added: ‘Tayo doesn't train with the first-team at the moment, although he was with us in the early part of the season.

‘But with the loan, the fact he’s still a second year and also now having Makenzie (Kirk) in the building, we’ve not had the need for him.

‘His goal-scoring record is very good, they like him down there, and he has shown a lot of promise for someone so young.’

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