Source: Telegraph
Portsmouth 0 Blackburn Rovers 0: match report
In torrential rain that had turned the game into a mud-bath well before half-time, Fratton Park's lowest ever Premier League crowd saw Portsmouth inch 90 sodden minutes closer to relegation. A victory for West Ham will confirm their Championship status for next season. [LNB]Decimated almost literally by injuries, Avram Grant was only able to name six substitutes for the second week running. [LNB]Arsenal v Portsmouth previewIt was Blackburn Rovers who had the first genuine opportunity. Jamie Ashdown failed to claim a Morten Gamst Pedersen free-kick, El-Hadj Diouf swung and missed, and the final shot came in from Samba, but Ashdown got down well at his near post. [LNB]Jamie O'Hara was at the heart of all Portsmouth were doing well. It was he who enjoyed the home side's best sight of goal before the break after Paul Robinson was only able to palm John Utaka's cross onto his head. [LNB]With the goalkeeper stranded, the ground rose as one to acclaim the opening goal. But Gael Givet's desperate intervention to clear it off the goal-line forced them firmly back into their seats. [LNB]But by and large it was Blackburn who looked the more likely to break the deadlock. They hit the post twice before the break; first through Dunn, who shot from 20 yards after Martin Olsson had held the ball up beautifully in the area, and then through Chris Samba, who was allowed a free header from a Pedersen free-kick. [LNB]Portsmouth's task was made harder on the hour mark. Already in Steve Bennett's notebook for a foul on Steven Nzonzi in the first half, Anthony Vanden Borre mindlessly stuck an arm out and received a second caution for deliberate handball. [LNB]The difference was not immediately noticeable. Ashdown saved two shots, one fierce and stinging from Martin Olsson, the other from Jason Roberts, turning and shooting from close range. [LNB]Sam Allardyce sent on Nikola Kalinic in an attempt to force a winner, while Avram Grant also rolled the dice, first by introducing Frederic Piquionne to play alongside Kanu, and then by giving a debut to 17-year-old left-back Lennard Sowah. [LNB]But though Blackburn enjoyed plenty of goalmouth action, with Martin Olsson squandering a late chance, they were unable to fashion a meaningful oportunity. No matter. They are safe for another season at least. [LNB]For Portsmouth, all eyes now turn to Wembley for next weekend's FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham, a final chance for them to salvage some comfort from a season that has so far offered none. [LNB]
