PORTSMOUTH have put the block on loan star Eddie Howe lining up in Cherries' Carling Cup first round clash at Leyton Orient tonight (August 24).

Howe will be forced to sit out the trip to Brisbane Road after Pompey boss Harry Redknapp turned down Cherries' request to cup-tie him.

Cherries boss Sean O'Driscoll told the Daily Echo: "You can see Harry's point of view. He's scrambling around trying to get players to supplement his squad and if Eddie's cup-tied, he won't be able to play in later rounds.

"This competition may give him an opportunity to rest some of his squad and to play some of the others who need games or who are part of the first-team squad but who haven't played in the Premiership and Eddie would come into that bracket.