Blades & Owls loan watch: Caolan Lavery and Marc McNulty on target again for Pompey

Lavery opened the scoring in the 4-0 victory over Hartlepool United with a fine curling effort for his fourth goal in nine appearances since moving to the south coast in mid-October.

And McNulty also registered his fourth in a blue shirt, with the Scot completing the scoring against Pools.

Lavery said of his partnership with McNulty: “Marc’s a very good player and when you’ve got people like that beside you, it’s going to make you improve. He has shown a touch of class at times and it’s been brilliant being alongside him on the pitch."

Portsmouth are currently fourth in League Two, six points behind leaders Northampton who featured United's Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a late substitute in their dramatic 4-3 win over Luton Town.

Elsewhere in League Two, Blades defender Terry Kennedy was an unused substitute in Cambridge United's 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle, while Callum McFadzean made his first appearance for Teddy Sheringham's Stevenage in Boro's 2-1 win over AFC Wimbledon. McFadzean, who hadn't played for two months, lasted 53 minutes before being replaced by on-loan Chesterfield forward Armand Gnanduillet.

In League One, Craig Alcock was in the Doncaster Rovers side that twice came from behind to beat Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road.

In the Championship, Wednesday defender Marnick Vermijl featured as Preston North End toom their unbeaten run to three with a 1-0 victory over managerless Reading at Deepdale.

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