On-trial Town keeper Michael Crowe (pictured left) played the first half and kept a clean sheet as Portsmouth opened their pre-season friendly programme with a 3-3 draw in a testimonial at Sligo Rovers last night.

Wales U21s call-up Crowe, 20, joined up with Pompey earlier in the week and is one of two keepers currently on trial with the League Two club, along with Eric Grimes from Leeds United.

While he will continue to assess the pair during the League Two side’s Irish training camp in Co Meath, manager Paul Cook is keen to add an experienced number one to his squad with senior keeper Paul Jones currently sidelined with a thigh injury.

“The two lads are on trial, we are just having a look at these boys and will see how it goes,” Cook told the Portsmouth News.

“Our fans know we are in the market for a goalkeeper, that is the reality of it, and we are doing our best to get a goalkeeper in.

“Michael is from Ipswich and we have a great relationship with them. Mick McCarthy has been fantastic to us, he sees us as a club which develops players properly and well.”

Like Town, Portsmouth will be playing a friendly in Dublin on Saturday afternoon. While the Blues face Shelbourne at Tolka Park, the Hampshire club take on Bohemians at Dalymount Park (both 3pm KOs).

Meanwhile, former Town loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles has been named in the England U19s squad for the European Championships in Germany, which run from July 11th to 24th.

Speaking in April, Blues manager McCarthy said he would be interested in the 18-year-old Arsenal midfielder returning to Portman Road on loan for a second season but felt it was unlikely to happen.

Photo: Action Images

mojo added 09:40 - Jul 7 He did a lot better than the other trialist then.
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Seasider added 16:52 - Jul 7 Nice to know,we have a great relationship with them,maybe something to do with the £700k we gave them recently,plus Matt Clarke? Pompey like us have had their time in the top tier,with good and bad Managers.foreign owners etc;but now I believe are owned by the fans,just like Ipswich were before Mr Evans came.Good for them.
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Seasider added 17:08 - Jul 7 oh and we have both been in administration. They however are now down in the 4th tier,whilst we are still stuck in 2nd.Just saying.
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cats_whiskers added 21:35 - Jul 7 Not much to "Crow" about really. McCarthy has in his time here, a history of allowing players go on loan and in doing that it signals the death knell regarding their ITFC careers. We shall just have to wait and see if that fate befalls on Crowes head
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