Curtis Main made his return for Pompey in last Sunday’s win at Gillingham – a game where he played his part in Matt Kennedy’s winning goal at Priestfield.
Has this seen his flagging Blues career revived and given Main a chance to come in from the cold? Who knows, only time will tell but he’s certainly took his opportunity and you cannot ask anymore than that.
Many expected Main had played his last game for Pompey and would leave during the summer – he didn’t and saw some involvement in Kenny Jackett’s match day squads. Having made his first start for the Blues in over a year an industrious outing against Gillingham will probably give him further opportunities to prove his worth.
The former Doncaster forward told the News he hadn’t ever lost faith and always hoped to put last season’s disappointment – mainly due to injury to be fair – behind him and show what he could do.
‘You’ve got to be incredibly strong and resilient in your mental side, while physically I’ve kept working and doing all the right things to be able to make this opportunity come around. It’s just one of those things where you have to knuckle down and not get too disheartened when things aren’t going your way. As long as you have that belief in yourself then it will always come back around and things will turn for you,’ said Main.
Adding: ‘From day one, I have made it clear that although I didn’t play a lot of football last year, through one way or another, this season I came back fully focussed on staying fit, performing and training to prove what I can bring to the side. ‘
He went on to say Jackett told him if he ‘worked hard then the opportunities would come’ so that’s exactly what Main has done, waiting for his chance, which would come if ‘someone isn’t performing or missing through injury.’
Now he’s targeting a retained place in the starting XI against MK Dons on Saturday.
‘I knew during on the Friday I would be playing. We were working on things and it was looking like it was going to be me, so I had a little bit of time to prepare. I’ve been expecting to come out and perform like I know I can. I’m sure the goals will not be too far behind. But it is the performance which is first and foremost and as a team we showed the right work-rate and desire.’
Injuries to players at both ends of the pitch presented Main’s chance and with fellow forwards out and Oli Hawkins filling in as a makeshift central defender, which could now come to an end, if he doesn’t keep his place against MK Dons I’ll be surprised.
Meanwhile, Milan Lalkovic could soon return to give Jackett another attacking option as he looks to revive his own frustrating Pompey career.
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2017-18 Prediction League – October
MK Dons (h) – Saturday 14th October 2017 – click here.
Doncaster (a) – Tuesday 17th October 2017 – click here.
Blackburn (a) – Saturday 21st October 2017 – click here.
Bradford (h) – Saturday 28th October 2017 – click here.
