Boss Roy Keane says he won’t play defender Darren O’Dea in Tuesday’s game against QPR if there’s a risk that it might cause him to miss future games. The on-loan Celtic man picked up a knee injury while away with the Republic of Ireland which he aggravated during Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Portsmouth.
Keane says there was a big question mark over the 23-year-old’s involvement at Fratton Park: "He was a doubt all bloody week, to be all honest with you. He’s a decent lad and he wanted to play. It’s always a gamble, but we always hope it’s a calculated gamble.
"Darren will most certainly be touch and go for Tuesday, particularly with the games coming up. Clearly I’m not going to risk him for one game on Tuesday night if it puts him back a few weeks. He’s done very well since he’s come to the club, we’re really pleased with Darren.”
Mark Kennedy, who came on as a sub at Portsmouth, is likely to come in at left-back if O’Dea misses out with Shane O’Connor out of action for another week or two with the hamstring injury he picked up while with the Irish U21s.
Keane admitted he was disappointed that O’Dea failed to take his side’s best chance against Pompey, but is pleased that his team are creating opportunities: "You always say to your players to at least hit the target and if you hit the target from six yards out there’s a good chance you’ll score.
"But players miss chances,” he added. "As I’ve said before, I don’t mind my players missing chances, you get worried when they’re not creating chances.
"Even on Saturday when we weren’t at our best, David Norris has hit the post, their keeper’s made a very good save from Grant Leadbitter, Darren’s had a great chance.
"Over the game, credit to Portsmouth and Steve Cotterill, Márton had to make some good saves as well. But in terms of the chances, we definitely had the better of them.”
The Blues boss wasn’t too unhappy with the point: "If you want to make progress you’ve got to grind out results when you’re not at your best and I don’t think we were at our best and we managed to get a result.
"Portsmouth are a decent team. They’re a bit in the same situation as we were last year - near the bottom, creating chances, just needing a bit of luck, which will come.
"A lot of teams will get beaten down here. They’ve got some new players, Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson, experienced players. Things can’t be too bad for Portsmouth with the likes of John Utaka coming off the bench. They’re all good experienced players.
"With us not being at our best, we’ll take the draw and particularly the clean sheet. That’s always satisfying, particularly for the goalkeeper and the back four.”
The Town manager was happier with the draw than with many of Town’s similar scorelines last season: "A lot of those were bad draws. I don’t think Saturday was a bad draw. There’s a big difference between good draws and bad draws. I don’t think Man United will be happy with their draw on Saturday.
"We had a lot of games last year where we drew when we should have won. That’s when it’s frustrating. But over the course of the season you’ve got to pick up draws, particularly away from home.
"Credit to Portsmouth’s supporters, they kept behind them and a lot of home teams get late goals because the momentum seems to be with them. We were under the cosh for the last few minutes and Gareth made one or two good blocks.
"But I think we were sloppy," Keane continued, "and I think we encouraged a lot of that and we know we’ll have to do better on Tuesday if we’re going to get a result”
Keane was particularly pleased with central defender Gareth McAuley’s contribution: "Gareth’s started the season very, very well. He and Tommy Smith have forged a decent relationship when you consider pre-season with Damien getting injured. It took a few months [to find a partnership] last year when I was chopping and changing with Damien and Pim and one or two others.
"The two boys have done well at centre-half. Gareth is playing really well for us and I watched his game with Northern Ireland and he’s doing very well for them as well. Gareth’s a good player, a very good player.”
The Town boss says the Blues are continuing talks with a Premier League side regarding a loanee, understood to be Sunderland’s Jack Colback: "We’re speaking to a club, but we’ll see. There’s a lot of work to be done, hold your horses on that one.
"There’s a certain position at the club which might need strengthening, but if it doesn’t happening, I’m pleased with the players we've got. We’re getting stuck in and having a go.”
Meanwhile, Pompey boss Steve Cotterill says scans have revealed that skipper Aaron Mokoena suffered only a minor injury during Saturday’s game, despite receiving lengthy treatment on the pitch before being stretchered off: "It’s a big relief that Aaron’s OK. He had a scan and has taken a bad whack on his leg but there’s no break.”