Ipswich Town striker Joe Pigott has spoken of his frustration as he struggles for minutes during his loan spell at Portsmouth. 

The forward, who joined Ipswich last summer from AFC Wimbledon, joined the Fratton Park club on loan in August, on the same day Marcus Harness moved the other way to join the Blues. 

He’s found the going tough, though, struggling to make an impact due to the form of Colby Bishop and Dane Scarlett, which has restricted him to just three starts in the league. 

Pigott did start for Danny Cowley’s side last night, though, scoring in his side’s 3-0 Papa John’s Trophy clash with Stevenage to take his season’s tally to four in all competitions. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Joe Pigott is on loan at Portsmouth from Ipswich TownJoe Pigott is on loan at Portsmouth from Ipswich Town (Image: © Copyright Stephen Waller)

“I just want to play football,” Pigott said in an interview with The News in Portsmouth

“Portsmouth is a fantastic place to play football and the opportunity to play here is one I really want to take. Hopefully I will still get that chance. 

“Hereford (FA Cup tie in November) was my last (significant) minutes, so that’s not enough for me. Not enough at all. Without a doubt I would have wanted to play more. 

“We have got a dialogue (with Cowley). The boys up front have been doing pretty well and Dane and Colby is a partnership he likes. 

“I have to accept that. We have different qualities, but that is obviously the partnership he’s looking towards at the moment.” 

Ipswich are not able to recall Pigott from his loan at Fratton Park, with the 29-year-old hopeful of playing the minutes he craves with Portsmouth or elsewhere.

 

“If I don’t get any opportunities it will be something we speak about,” he said. “Hopefully I will, though. 

“We can have a decent dialogue and there’s plenty of games and time for things to happen yet, so we’ll see what happens. 

“It would be great to play here, but I want to play football at the end of the day. That has to be the priority, because it hasn’t quite happened.” 

A minor injury hasn’t helped Pigott’s cause. 

He said: “I had a hip problem which bothered me for 10 days, but it wasn’t too bad really. 

“It’s not ongoing and is all good now. It’s no reason for me not to play. Hopefully getting the goal puts me in the window to get more minutes.” 

Pigott has made a total of 21 appearances for Portsmouth, scoring four times, having only netted three times in 29 Ipswich appearances last season.