Source: Telegraph
Portsmouth 1 West Ham United 1: match report
Danny Webber rescued a point for Portsmouth on Tuesday night but the Premier League's bottom side really needed more. Their next three games are all away, at Manchester City, Fulham and Manchester United, after which the Pompey chimes could be ringing like alarm bells. [LNB]Webber proved an inspired substitution by Avram Grant, bringing some energy to Portsmouth's front line and the striker certainly took his chance well, driving the ball under Robert Green's body to equalise Matthew Upson's effort that went in off Younes Kaboul. [LNB] Related ArticlesPremier League Transfer TalkPremier League tablePremier League actionTelegraph player raterPremier League fixturesSport on televisionIf West Ham were annoyed to allow the lead to slip, they could take heart from the return to action of Carlton Cole and good displays from Mark Noble and Jack Collison. [LNB]Just before this Debtors' Derby had kicked off, Portsmouth's Fratton Park DJ almost blew the speakers with Don't Fear The Reaper, a nice note of defiance. [LNB]As a fruitless first half began, the substantial travelling support serenaded the Pompey faithful with a chant of "we've got more debts than you''. [LNB]At least West Ham now have wealthy and visible owners, David Gold and David Sullivan notable by their presence and exotic scarves and head-gear on a bitterly cold night that would have frozen anyone's assets. [LNB]For all their financial travails, and complicated ownership situation, Portsmouth had actually enjoyed some welcome news earlier in the day with the Premier League lifting the transfer embargo, prompting the club to seek an infusion of new, and old, blood. [LNB]"We're looking to bring in two or three players, ideally four and that would include bringing Jamie O'Hara back, which is our first priority,'' said Peter Storrie, Pompey's chief executive. [LNB]O'Hara, currently back at Spurs, may not want to learn that Storrie could not guarantee wages would be paid on time. [LNB]In keeping with the confused nature of life at Fratton Park, David James' future remains in doubt after the England keeper was again left out, a real frustration for the watching Franco Baldini, Fabio Capello's No 2. [LNB]Yet whatever the bizarre reason for James' exclusion, principally that it would cost Pompey around £2m if he made 20 appearances this season, his understudy Asmir Begovic impressed until West Ham finally broke through. [LNB]In a first half of huff and puff and little substance, the Bosnian made three excellent saves. Begovic began by denying Frank Nouble and then reacting well to regain his position to keep out Alessandro Diamanti's attempted left-footed curler. [LNB]After Robert Green had reminded Baldini of his class by clawing away Aaron Mokoena's low strike, the excellent Mark Noble cleared off the line from Younes Kaboul and West Ham embarked on a 90-yard, high-speed move that demanded the very best from Begovic to thwart them. [LNB]Jack Collison ran from the deep, quickly entering the final third and bending the ball behind Steve Finnan. His pass was perfectly designed for Nouble to collect and then transfer back into Collison's path. Portsmouth's defence was breached, Collison racing into clear water. Only Begovic stood between him and a certain goal. Portsmouth's keeper spread himself, trying to narrow the angle, forcing Collison to attempt a right-footed shot full of fade, aiming to take it around Begovic. [LNB]Somehow, the Portsmouth keeper pulled off one of the saves of the season, stretching out a left hand to tip the ball to safety. [LNB]West Ham enjoyed the better of the first half, attacking with greater pace and width. Portsmouth were initially too narrow with John Utaka and Kevin-Prince Boateng working the space behind Frederic Piquionne, whose best dart at goal was ended by a superb challenge from Noble, who harbours long-term England ambitions. [LNB]One of West Ham's players definitely in England contention, Upson, made his mark early in the second half. [LNB]Portsmouth only half-cleared Diamanti's corner, allowing him another chance, the ball lifted to the far-post. Kaboul rose with Upson, the ball rebounded between them and looped in past Begovic. West Ham players were swift to congratulate Upson, although Kaboul was credited with an own goal. Portsmouth refused to surrender, surging forward in search of an equaliser. [LNB]Marc Wilson headed over from close range. When Julien Faubert slipped, Boateng shot wide with the goal at his mercy. Then came Webber, emerging from the bench and then making an immediate impact, running on to Utaka's pass after Boateng had flicked the ball on. With James Tomkins having jumped with Boateng, the centre of West Ham's defence was undermanned, allowing Webber to race through and place the equaliser beneath Green. [LNB]Portsmouth almost won it at the death but Utaka placed a fierce shot too close to Green. [LNB]Match statsPortsmouth (4-1-2-1-2): Begovic; Finnan, Kaboul, Wilson, Hreidarsson; Basinas; Mullins, Mokoena; Boateng; Piquionne, Utaka. Subs: Ashdown (g), Vanden Borre, Webber, Hughes, Ben-Haim, Ritchie. Booked: Mokoena, Boateng, Basinas.West Ham United (4-1-4-1): Green; Faubert, Tomkins, Upson, Spector; Noble; Diamanti, Behrami, Kovac, Collison; Nouble. Subs: Stech (g), Cole, Jimenez, Sears, Da Costa, Daprela, Stanislas. Booked: Noble.Referee: A Marriner (West Midlands). [LNB]
