Portsmouth’s Ross McCrorie put in a Man of the Match performance against Oxford United at the weekend, and it could spell bad news for James Bolton.

Kenny Jackett’s side earned a valuable point at home to Oxford United in League One at the weekend.

A penalty from Gareth Evans gave Portsmouth the lead at Fratton Park, but Jackett’s side were again undone by a late goal when Matt Taylor scored his fourth goal of the season in the 90th-minute.

It leaves Portsmouth 15th in League One, as their woeful season shows no sign of improving.

Ross McCrorie in only his eighth league appearance of the season, and his third consecutive start, put in a fine display at right-back and further cement his spot in the Portsmouth defence.

This spells bad news for James Bolton.

Bolton signed from Shrewsbury Town on a free in the summer and after starting the season on the sidelines through injury, worked his way into the first-team.

He was asserting his spot in the side, but when McCrorie was given his first start in over a month against Lincoln City in October, has kept Bolton on the bench.

Bolton replaced Man of the Match McCrorie with a few minutes to go on Saturday, and may have felt some bitterness towards the 21-year-old that’s keeping him out of the team.

He’s had to watch McCrorie from the bench as he continues to improve his game and in the last three where the Scot has started at right-back, Portsmouth are unbeaten.

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It’s a long season and there’s still plenty of fixtures to be fulfilled for teams in the Football League, and Bolton will certainly have his chance later in the season to show Jackett what he can do.

For now though, the 25-year-old Bolton will have to remain eager in training and wait for his chance in League One.

McCrorie looks one for the future at Pompey and has been a real scoop since Jackett has deployed him at right-back - expect to see a fierce battle between the two for a starting spot in the team.