Source: PA
Pompey avoid upset
Portsmouth moved through to the second round of the Carling Cup with a 2-1 win over League Two Stevenage on Monday night.
It was the first time Pompey had played in the first round since 2002 while Stevenage made their first ever appearance in the competition after their elevation from the Blue Square Premier last season.
The visitors got off to a flier with an eighth minute goal from Nadir Ciftci as he got on the end of a Matt Ritchie cross to direct a neat header home from just inside the six-yard box.
Pompey's lead, however, lasted just 10 minutes as Darren Murphy's shot took a deflection into the bottom corner to send the home fans into raptures.
But in an action-packed first half, it was Steve Cotterill's side that regained the lead 10 minutes before the break when Joel Ward crossed for Michael Brown to head home from just inside the Stevenage penalty area.
The second-half was a cagey affair and while Michael Bostwick brought a good save out of Jamie Ashdown in the 52nd minute Pompey held on for a relatively comfortable win.
