Keogh returns for Cumbrians - 7M sport

Keogh returns for Cumbrians

Posted Tuesday, September 22, 2009 by PA

Centre-half Richard Keogh is back for Carlisle ahead of their Carling Cup tie with Premier League bottom-club Portsmouth at Brunton Park.

The former Republic of Ireland U21 international has returned to training after recovering from his ankle injury.

Keogh, an unused substitute in Carlisle's 2-0 defeat to Oldham on Saturday, is challenging Danny Livesey and Peter Murphy for a first-team spot.

Youngster Simon Lakeland is ruled out with a medial ligament injury but manager Gregg Abbott has no other injuries in his squad.

However, Abbott may shuffle his strikers after two games without a goal.

Joe Anyinsah and Gary Madine are expected to be recalled for the Cumbrians, who have reached the third round of the Carling Cup after victories over Oldham and Bristol City.

Portsmouth quartet Jamie O'Hara, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Tommy Smith and Mike Williamson are all cup-tied.

Defensive duo Steve Finnan (hamstring) and Hermann Hreidarsson (foot) remain out.

Papa Bouba Diop (hamstring) is sidelined while new striker Aruna Dindane is undergoing a two-week fitness programme in a bid to overcome a knee injury.

Pompey midfielder Michael Brown feels Tuesday's 750-mile round trip to Carlisle will make a "nice change" from their nightmare start to the Barclays Premier League campaign.

Paul Hart's men suffered a sixth successive league defeat when they went down 2-0 at Aston Villa on Saturday.

It is the worst start in the history of the Premier League, with the south-coast club paying a heavy cost for off-field problems which left Hart with a threadbare squad before Sulaiman Al Fahim's protracted takeover was finally completed.

So far, the Carling Cup has offered some respite, with a 4-1 home win over League Two Hereford in the last round offering a much-needed morale boost.

The journey up to Brunton Park from the south coast may be an arduous one, but if the end result is a victory, that will do just fine for Brown.

"It will be a nice change, the match against Carlisle," Brown told pfcTV.

"It will be a real tough game, that is always the case in these cup ties.

"But maybe it will be good to have a game away from the Premier League.

"However, the big match will be on Saturday against Everton."

Brown feels if the players continue to stick together, then their fortunes will turn around.

"It has been a case of 'almost' so far this season, and at some time we have to look at ourselves and make it a definite to take the points," he said.

"We have got to keep going and stay together.

"We gave it a good go against Aston Villa in the second half, which is a positive.

"We will keep trying and working as a team and we will get some points."

Hart hopes a good display against the Cumbrians can have a knock-on effect for when Everton come to Fratton Park on Saturday.

"We need to go up there and get that game won, then we play Everton," Hart said in the Portsmouth News.

"It comes around quickly and we cannot dwell on things for too long and be down in the dumps.

"The players have always been very positive, they work hard and there is a good spirit about the place."

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