Michael Brown plays in the corner and the ball falls to Joel Ward who gets a shot at goal but Brad Friedel shows good reflexes to make the save.

Almost spoke too soon as Joel Ward puts a low ball right across the face of goal which is put out for a corner.

There will be three minutes of injury time to play here as Villa are looking comfortable with this lead.

Richard Dunne does well to block Michael Brown's run and shot after he was played in by John Utaka. Michael Brown plays the corner in from the left but Brad Friedel punches it clear in commanding fashion.

Joel Ward has a header from a corner saved by Brad Friedel before Villa break up the field and Ashley Young's overhead kick in the area drops just wide of the post.

An inspired substitution by Martin O'Neill as Nathan Delfouneso had only been on the pitch two minutes when he got that goal.

Pompey almost get a goal here as Richard Dunne plays the ball off the referee and it falls to John Utaka who hammers his effort wide.

Stiliyan Petrov goes past David James in the area and leaves his foot in before going to ground. It looked like another penalty but again the referee says no.

Michael Brown's throw is flicked on by Papa Bouba Diop to Tommy Smith who heads over inside the Villa area.

Villa are getting plenty of balls in from the flanks but Pompey are still holding firm to combat the aerial threat Villa have.

Michael Brown picks out the run of Tommy Smith but Richard Dunne gets across to see the ball out of play which amazingly results in a goal kick despite the defender getting a clear touch.

Ashley Young whips a cross in from the right which Stewart Downing cannot direct into the net at the back post under pressure from Anthony Vanden Borre.

Villa put the ball out when John Utaka goes to ground a little to easily under pressure from James Collins when they should have played on.

Martin O'Neill might be thinking about making a change soon as Villa appear to be running out of ideas in pursuit of a goal.

Kevin-Prince Boateng has a shot at goal from around 30 yards but it is a routine catch for Brad Friedel.

Papa Bouba Diop gets a sight of goal from outside the area but hammers his effort over the Villa bar.

Villa are still enjoying most of the possession as Stewart Downing over hits another pass out of play from the left.

Ashley Young lifts a corner in from the right which sees Kevin-Prince Boateng go down in the area with a knock to his head which sees play held up.

David James does well to deny James Milner who lets fly with a stinging drive while the offside Gabriel Agbonlahor hits the rebound wide of the post.

Villa continue to keep Pompey penned into their own area here but they cannot get that second goal.

It is still Villa having the lion share of possession as they desperately need the three points, but Pompey are holding them up.

Villa have another good penalty shout turned down as Ashley Young goes down under a tackle from Anthony Vanden Borre.

Michael Brown has another effort on goal and his shot deflects out for a corner down the left. It is played in quickly but Papa Bouba Diop cannot get his head to it.

Ashley Young does get a brilliant ball in from the left flank on his right foot but Gabriel Agbonlahor can only direct his header from close range straight at David James.

James Milner gets forward and creates an opening but he cannot find the sufficient power in his shot to trouble David James.

Ashley Young whips a dangerous looking ball into the area but it turns out to be neither a cross or shot and Pompey get a goal kick.

Like in the first half Pompey do look dangerous when they break and James Collins does well to block John Utaka's ball intended for Kevin-Prince Boateng.

Villa are enjoying a great spell here with five crosses in succession getting played into the Pompey area but the hosts survive.

James Milner plays in the overlapping Stephen Warnock down the left but the full-back's cross is poor and drops behind for a goal kick.

Stewart Downing whips the corner in from the left which is headed away by Aaron Mokoena.

Stewart Downing puts a cross in from the left which Marc Wilson heads away. His return ball is blocked for a corner.

Pompey break again and the ball runs across to Michael Brown whose effort is wide of the upright on this occasion.

Pompey win a corner down the left which is played out to Michael Brown who lifts it into the area but Kevin-Prince Boateng is stood in an offside position.

We are approaching the break and Villa must be wondering how they are not in front after dominating large spells of this half.

The Pompey fans are buzzing after that save, but Martin O'Neill will not be impressed at John Carew's timing to miss his first spot-kick in English football.

David James to the rescue in front of the watching England coach Fabio Capello as John Carew hammers his penalty at the goal but the Pompey keeper stands up well to beat it away.

Villa are buzzing all over Pompey at the moment with some good build up play as Ashley Young pulls the ball back from the right by-line which is cleared by a blue shirt.

Anthony Vanden Borre looks to have brought down Gabriel Agbonlahor inside the penalty area but the referee opts to give Pompey a free kick.

Stewart Downing plays in the free kick which is just too high for James Collins and David James opts to punch it clear rather than risk making the catch.

Leonard Sowah fouls Ashley Young in a decent spot for a free kick to be whipped into the area.

Richard Dunne appears to go through the back of Kevin-Prince Boateng inside his own penalty area but nothing is given to Pompey.

The corner by Michael Brown is whipped into the heart of the Villa box but Stephen Warnock gets up high to head clear.

From the subsequent free kick Kevin-Prince Boateng whips the ball in and Brad Friedel finger tips it past his own post.

Amazingly we are half an hour into the game and we have the first foul by Richard Dunne on Kevin-Prince Boateng.

John Utaka gets in behind the Villa defence on the end of a good ball forward by Kevin-Prince Boateng but Brad Friedel does well to come out and get in a timely block.

Nwankwo Kanu is okay to continue and the action is back up and running.

Referee Lee Probert gives both sides time to draw breath as Nwankwo Kanu has taken a knock and needs treatment.

It has been a crazy opening quarter of this game going from end-to-end at a frenetic pace with both sides having decent chances to add to their tally.

Another dangerous ball into the Pompey area sees Nwankwo Kanu coolly chest the ball back to David James from close range.

Ashley Young whips another cross into the Pompey area and Marc Wilson is lucky to see the ball rebound off his shins and on to his own post as opposed to ending up in the net.

Nwankwo Kanu bursts into the area but he is blocked and the ball falls to John Utaka who weaves in an out of several challenges before Villa finally clear.

John Carew hits an effort from outside the area which David James acrobatically dives to save.

Gabriel Agbonlahor does very well down the left side of the area as he hits a shot which falls perfectly for John Carew whose first time shot hits an unkowing David James before rebounding clear.

Stewart Downing cuts inside Michael Brown and hits a low shot with his favoured left-foot which David James gets down well to save.

There were suggestions of a foul on Villa player Gabby Agbonlahor in the build up to that goal but the home side won't mind. Martin O'Neill will not be impressed though.

Carlos Cuellar gets forward from defence with Marc Wilson clearing his first cross and then Anthony Vanden Borre doing like wise moments later.

A lively opening few minutes here and, bearing in mind it ended up 4-2 to Villa in the League Cup here earlier in the season, we could be in for some goals again today.

Pompey almost score now as a cross from the right lands at the feet of Kevin-Prince Boateng but Brad Friedel rushes out to make a great save. The loose ball is knocked towards the goal by Nwankwo Kanu and Villa hack it clear.

Gabriel Agbonlahor wins a corner off Papa Bouba Diop. It is taken quickly by Ashley Young but Pompey cut out the ball across the edge of the area. It's been a good start by Villa.

Michael Brown makes a mess of a clearance and it hands a chance to Stewart Downing whose effort is blocked for a very early corner. Ashley Young plays it in but David James makes the catch.