Tigers Snatch Point At Fratton Park

Last updated : 22 November 2008 By Jim Bonner
For the third home game in a row Pompey paid the price for conceding a late equaliser to a team they really should have beaten on balance of play.

There is controversy surrounding the goal as it looked like the ball clearly came off a Hull player for a goal kick yet the much maligned Stuart Attwell gave a corner which the visitors scored from even if it was a Pompey player who put the ball in his own net.

Pompey were some key players as Sol Campbell, Niko Kranjcar, Lassana Diarra and Jermain Defoe were all injured yet a side missing half of its spine dominated the majority of the first half.

Papa Bouba Diop had a header bounce off the goal line, John Utaka shot wide and Peter Crouch headed over from close range before heading in his seventh goal of the season after Younes Kaboul crossed in the box following a deflected free kick.

Diop should have scored from three yards out yet somehow managed to miss but Portsmouth were still in control of the game until Geovanni hit the woodwork for Hull late in the first half. Regardless of that, we were clearly the better side and should have had more than a goal to show for it.

The second half was different as Hull came out a different team and equalised when Michael Turner headed in a corner early on. Who was supposed to be picking him up?

That equaliser seemed to stun Pompey and Phil Brown's men looked the better side for a period of the game. Tony Adam's response was a strange one though as he replaced two of our best players on the day in Hughes and Belhadj for Traore and Nugent. I don't think it was right for the Pompey fans to boo those substitutions but they didn't really make sense...

It took a superb goal by Glen Johnson to get us going again after the England right back chested the ball and produced a sublime dipping volley into the top corner of the net. If that goal doesn't win Pompey goal of the season then I can't wait to see the one that does!

It looked like Tony Adams would record his first home win as Pompey manager but the home fans were to be frustrated once again by a late equaliser after Noe Pamarot scored an own goal following pressure by Dean Windass from a corner that should never have been given.

I'm disappointed that we didn't win this game but it's hard to point the finger of blame at one particular person for failing to win. The performance was good for most parts although John Utaka and Papa Bouba Diop have done themselves no favours after today's showing.

I think that Adams has to take some of the blame too because (as much as I hate to say this) I'm sure Harry Redknapp would have thrown on a defender late on to close the game rather than bring Kanu on earlier and push Nugent out to right wing.

Of course, all Pompey fans are going to blame Attwell for his incompetence but then our defending from set-pieces is something that needs working on too.

It's a disappointing result but I feel that some Pompey fans are over-reacting a tad. Hull are a good team, have been above us all season and have an excellent away record so the draw isn't as bad as some people are saying.

However, it is a setback and there is a lot of pressure on us to beat Blackburn next Sunday because the league is so congested and a loss could see us tumble down the table.

Still, before that we have the glamour tie against AC Milan to look forward to. Hopefully our luck will turn and Tony Adams can make his first home win a memorable one.

Pompey Player Ratings

David James: 7 - Saved our bacon a couple of times when Hull looked like scoring.

Glen Johnson: 8 - Superb goal and all round good performance.

Younes Kaboul: 6 - Steady showing.

Sylvain Distin: 7 - Some crucial blocks.

Noe Pamarot: 6 - Unfortunate own goal.

Papa Bouba Diop: 5 - Still can't score.

Sean Davis: 7 - Closed down Hull players quickly.

Richard Hughes: 7 - Worked really hard.

Nadir Belhadj: 7 - Runs caused problems.

John Utaka: 6 - Missed a couple of very good chances.

Peter Crouch: 7 - Scored and linked up play very well.

Substitutes

Jamie Ashdown

Hermann Hreidarsson

Armand Traore (Belhadj 58): 6 - Didn't change the game but offered pace.

Arnold Mvuemba

Glen Little

David Nugent (Hughes 58): 6 - Tireless runner.

Kanu (Utaka 74): 5 - Didn't do anything.