The 24-year-old winger joined Portsmouth in the winter of 2020 and last season made 27 league appearances, scoring four goals while providing two assists.
This season, Hackett has made a total of 14 League One appearances for Pompey, with the majority of them coming off the bench.
Cowley opted to start Hackett ahead of Owen Dale on Tuesday and the Portsmouth boss is of the view that the player showed his quality on the pitch.
The Portsmouth manager stressed that the winger controlled the game in the second half after switching him to midfield and added that Hackett’s quick feet got Oxford’s Billy Bodin to commit a foul on him which resulted in a red card.
“I thought he was great”, Cowley told The News.
“When he got the ball in the first half he looked a threat, I didn’t think we got the ball to him enough so we moved him into the middle and I thought he grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.
“I thought he showed all the quality that he’s got, he’s such a talented boy and it was his brilliant play and quick feet that got their player a second yellow.
“I thought he linked the play really well for us.”
Portsmouth will next take on Shrewsbury Town on Saturday, and Hackett will eye a spot in Cowley’s starting line-up against Steve Cotterill’s side.
