Source: Daily_Mail
Portsmouth 2 Everton 1: Fratton goes frantic over relegation relief
Staying in the Premier League clearly matters more than dreams of the Champions League.[LNB]There is no other way to explain the limp Everton[LNB]performance in the second half of this game which allowed Portsmouth[LNB]to take charge and come from behind to earn a vital victory when Peter Crouch headed his second goal with 15 minutes remaining.[LNB]The visitors, beaten only by Manchester United in their previous 18 games, had seemed set fair for a win and a tilt at the top four when Leighton Baines scored a fourth-minute free-kick.[LNB][LNB] Peter the great: Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch scores the equaliser[LNB]But a poor decision by referee Peter Walton to award Portsmouth acorner, almost the only favour he did the home team all afternoon, ledto Crouch's equaliser midway through the first half and Paul Hart'steam never looked back.[LNB]For all Everton's failings, this was a very impressive display bythe home side, who would have slipped into the bottom three if they hadlost.[LNB] Tottenham 1 Chelsea 0[LNB]Portsmouth v Everton: How the game unfolded[LNB]PORTSMOUTH NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]EVERTON NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Blackburn 1 West Ham 1[LNB]Fulham 2 Man United 0[LNB]Stoke 1 Middlesbrough 0[LNB]West Brom 1 Bolton 1[LNB]Newcastle 1 Arsenal 3[LNB]Hart said: 'The players have proved how much desire they have tostay in this league. We were all over the place in the first fiveminutes, but credit to the lads, they got it together, steadiedthemselves and started to play.[LNB]'Everton's recent record shows the magnitude of our performance. I thought we were excellent.'[LNB]That was pushing it a bit, as was Hart's assertion that centre halves Sylvain Distin and Sol Campbell were 'magnificent'.[LNB][LNB] You beauty: Leighton Baines fires Everton's opener at Pompey[LNB]In truth, both looked a shadow of the players who anchored lastseason's FA Cup win and after a nervy first half were let off the hookby Jo and Louis Saha, whose performance must have had the visiting fansyearning for the weeks when they did not have any fit strikers.[LNB]Everton manager David Moyes rightly felt that his team failed to capitalise on the early lead given to them by Baines.[LNB]Distin was harshly judged to have fouled Saha on the edge of thearea and Baines curled the free-kick not so much over the wall as pastit, sending the ball in off David James's left-hand post.[LNB][LNB] Rise and shine: Peter Crouch (centre) rises highest to score the winning goal [LNB]The Portsmouth crowd, who had questioned Walton's ability toreferee, had cause to soften their stance in the 22nd minute. Hedecided right back Glen Johnson's shot with his swinger of a left footcould only have gone so far wide with the aid of a deflection.[LNB]The initial corner was cleared but Niko Kranjcar clipped the ballback into the area, Johnson nodded it across goal and Crouch headedfirmly into the corner of the net from close range.[LNB]'It wasn't a corner,' said Moyes. When it was suggested that youstill have to defend set-pieces better, however they come about, theEverton boss agreed, but added: 'You don't have to if they are notgiven.'[LNB][LNB] Grabbing the Kaboul by the horns: Marouane Fellaini is challenged by Younes Kaboul [LNB]It was an uncharacteristically meek response from the usually spiky Scot and his team's second-half display was just as insipid.[LNB]Moyes said: 'I always felt we were lacking that little bit of spirit and punch throughout the game.'[LNB]He was at a loss to explain why, but you suspect he had a little bit more to say to his players afterwards.[LNB][LNB] Doing it for kicks: Hermann Hreidarsson and Joleon Lescott battle for the ball [LNB]Portsmouth, driven on by man-of-the-match Sean Davis, threatened toscore only once, when Tim Howard saved from David Nugent, until YounesKaboul forced a corner. Davis swung the ball to the back post andCrouch was there again to head home.[LNB]Davis later hit the post with a superb drive, but victory was neverin doubt once Crouch claimed his third goal in two games and his 50thin the Premier League, a competition in which Portsmouth can now bemuch more confident of featuring next season.[LNB]PORTSMOUTH (4-4-1-1): James; Kaboul, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson; Johnson, Mullins, Davis, Nugent (Kanu 74min); Kranjcar; Crouch.[LNB]Subs (not used): Begovic, Pamarot, Utaka, Hughes, Basinas, Belhadj.[LNB]Booked: Hreidarsson, Kaboul.[LNB]EVERTON (4-1-3-2): Howard; Jacobsen (Gosling 86), Jagielka, Lescott, Baines; P Neville; Osman, Fellani, Pienaar; Saha, Jo (Rodwell 90).[LNB]Subs (not used): Nash, Castillo, Agard, Baxter, Wallace.[LNB]Booked: Osman.[LNB]Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire). [LNB] Tottenham 1 Chelsea 0[LNB]Portsmouth v Everton: How the game unfolded[LNB]PORTSMOUTH NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]EVERTON NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Blackburn 1 West Ham 1[LNB]Fulham 2 Man United 0[LNB]Stoke 1 Middlesbrough 0[LNB]West Brom 1 Bolton 1[LNB]Newcastle 1 Arsenal 3[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
