Match Report taken from The News
Steve Bruce's pre-match comments looked like the typical over-kind stuff you get from promotion-chasing opponents.
‘Don't be fooled by their current league placing – Portsmouth will provide very tough opposition for us,' said the Birmingham manager.
It's the sort of thing Pompey fans have heard time and again in the past five seasons.
Everyone knows the score. The manager says nice things – but in his heart he's got the game well and truly chalked up as a home banker.
With Pompey arriving at St Andrews in their customary lower mid-table berth, you could understand the Birmingham fans for expecting three points.
But Bruce's words proved prophetic as Pompey emerged with a point and nudged up to their highest tally for a season since 1997.
It might not have looked likely to pan out that way when Stern John seized on some sloppy defending to give Birmingham the lead after 62 seconds.
But from then on Pompey restricted Bruce's side to one serious opening. Birmingham, looking for a window of opportunity to extend their lead, got more like an arrow-slit.
It was the first chance for Pompey fans to see Scott Wilson and Linvoy Primus as a central defensive pairing.
True, they got off to the worst possible start when Primus, still feeling his way back from injury, let Tommy Mooney's cross elude him for John to score for the sixth time since signing from Nottingham Forest.
But afterwards they underlined the sense that Pompey are suddenly looking well-armed in the middle of defence.
Primus, Wilson, Lewis Buxton and Eddie Howe comprise a formidable four for Harry Redknapp to pick from.
The first job, then, must be to sign Wilson beyond the end of the season.
The Scot, at Fratton Park for two more matches, was magnificent for the third straight game since swopping a blue Rangers shirt for a Pompey one.
Wilson has an understated authority about him – the ability to sniff out danger, class on the ball and power when needed.
John and Mooney – later replaced by Geoff Horsfield – got little out of Pompey's back pair.
This time, Wilson had the referee on his side, unlike at Preston a week earlier when punished with a penalty for getting too close to Clyde Wijnhard.
Yesterday the official waved away spot-kick claims as Wilson looped his arms around Horsefield's waist in similar fashion.
The Birmingham striker had already been booked for diving after tumbling as Wilson challenged.
The home fans in the biggest crowd at St Andrews since November may have headed home grumbling at the referee.
But they really had little cause for complaint about the result. Again, Pompey made a promotion-hunting side look deeply unimpressive.
Of the Premiership hopefuls, only West Brom have really blitzed Pompey this season.
That says a lot about the quality of the first division. But it also tells us something about Pompey, too – on their day, they are a side who can match anybody in the top 10.
This season, it's been the old story of getting rolled over by the poorer sides. The names Colchester and Orient leap nimbly to mind.
On yesterday's evidence, you wince to think what might happen to Birmingham if they sneak into the Premiership via the play-offs. You could say the same for Burnley, Millwall and Preston.
It will be fascinating to see how Redknapp accommodates Robert Prosinecki in his side next season – assuming the Croat stays.
Pompey's boss wants him at the hub of the team – illustrating the fact by giving Prosinecki the skipper's armband in the absence of Nigel Quashie and Shaun Derry.
The unavailability of the injured Svetoslav Todorov left Leo Biagini to assume the mantle of lone forward. The way he struggled, before going off at half-time with a hamstring injury, suggests it will be a demanding role to fill if that is the way Redknapp wants to play away from home next season – although it might suit a fit Mark Burchill.
Rowan Vine, who took over from Biagini, will only remember the game for his horrible open-goal miss midway through the second half.
Gary O'Neil's deflected 25-yarder came back off the post to locate Vine five yards out in front of an unguarded net.
The response, a skewed volley several yards wide, left both Vine and Redknapp clutching heads in hands for a full five seconds afterwards.
In his defence, it was a harder chance than it looked – the ball flashed back at Vine at real speed.
To his credit, Vine, a fine prospect, kept his head up and refused to let the miss blow his confidence.
The first of many league goals will come soon enough.
John may have headed a Bryan Hughes free-kick wide, but Birmingham created little. When they got into the Pompey box, a well-timed challenge tended to send the ball scurrying back out again.
The concern for Redknapp, however, was that Pompey were hardly peppering Nico Vaesen's goal.
There was plenty of pretty football in non-threatening areas. But incision was lacking.
Prosinecki had come closest to equalising in a sedate first half, twinkling those feet from Kevin Harper's downward header to curl a left-foot shot wide.
O'Neil shot narrowly past the post after Prosinecki had squared a free-kick 30 yards out.
But it took a magnificent save from Dave Beasant to stop Birmingham from doubling their advantage – and provide the platform for Courtney Pitt's late equaliser.
Horsfield's superb touch sent Bryan Hughes through on goal. But Beasant, showing power in his wrists and excellent positioning, pushed the goalbound shot behind.
Reward came for the 1,000 travelling Pompey fans six minutes from time. Pitt, who seems to be growing more durable, won a free-kick down the left which Prosinecki swirled into the box.
It was cleared only as far as the former Chelsea player who took a couple of touches before angling a shot back across Vaesen.
The goal, and the point, ended any lingering threat, however slim, of relegation.
In a season short on achievement but loaded with promise, it was fitting that one of Pompey's young hopes should have that decisive word.