Snelling could be set for USP’s curtain-raiser
Sean Snelling could be set to make his competitive US Portsmouth return in this weekend’s Wessex League curtain-raiser at Laverstock & Ford.
The centre half was a regular for US in 2018/19, but left last summer and subsequently turned out for Fleetlands in the Hampshire Premier League and for Wessex Leaguers AFC Stoneham.
He is now back at The Victory Stadium and played for the reserves in the weekend win against Harvest Home.
Snelling may be required for first team duties this weekend as US could be without three centre halves for their opening Division 1 fixture.
Harry Birmingham has not played since suffering a head injury in a friendly against Baffins last month, while Tom Cain went off with a hip injury in Friday’s 2-0 friendly win at Cowes.
John Cass, meanwhile, was sent off for ‘raising his hands’ in the second half of an eventful evening on the Isle of Wight.
Midfielder Callum Glenn was sin-binned towards the end of the game – US finishing with nine players as a result – while boss Glenn Turnbull was also booked.
‘We’ve gone from being inundated with centre halves, to being three centre halves down,’ said Turnbull.
‘We’ve got options, though – Tom Jeffes, and Sean Snelling returned to the club towards the end of last season.’
James Franklyn and sub George Root were on target as US defeated Wessex Premier opposition for the third time in pre-season, having previously beaten Baffins (5-0) and Horndean (1-0).
‘It was really, really good for an hour,’ said Turnbull.
‘In the first half one of their centre halves smashed Franko (Franklyn) - it would have been a red card in a league game, but the ref only showed a yellow.
‘John Cass got sent off for pushing someone away after a Cowes player had put his arm across John’s neck.
‘The ref said he was sent off for raising his hands.’
- SIMON CARTER