UPDATE: Portsmouth boss reveals Tom Lowery outlook after injury absence

The midfielder’s absence at Shrewsbury on Saturday prompted fears he could be facing another stint on the sidelines, after a campaign hindered by a hamstring issue.

The problem related to jarring his knee in training this week, however, with the good news the 25-year-old was kept out of the equation at New Meadow as a precaution.

Pompey are unlikely to risk Lowery at Oxford United on Tuesday night, with the plan for the summer arrival from Crewe to be back next weekend.

Blues boss John Mousinho said: ‘Tom picked up a knock on Thursday. We were hoping he was going to be fit, but he didn’t make it. He might not be ready for Tuesday, but it shouldn’t be any more than a week, so hopefully for Accrington on Saturday.’

Lowery’s omission was one of three changes at Shrewsbury, after the 0-0 draw against Morecambe on Easter Monday.

Denver Hume and Dane Scarlett were the other players to make way, with Joe Pigott, Connor Ogilvie and Reeco Hackett coming into the starting XI.

Mousinho felt Hume could feel hard done by to not make the squad, after putting in a decent performance at Fratton Park.

He added: ‘The other one was Denver out. Denver can count himself really unlucky, having performed pretty well on Monday, but Connor has been one of our best performers over the past two-and-a-half months, so the selection there was fairly straightforward.

‘Then it was about putting Reeco into his natural position and trying to create more from that side. Those the three changes, one enforced with the other two ones we felt could affect the game.’