Source: Telegraph
Portsmouth rue missed opportunity as West Brom conjure a draw
Tony Mowbray's strugglers played a full part in an frenetic relegation battle and pocketed a deserved reward. Although they stand a gaping seven points from safety they clearly do not intend slipping away quietly.
It was, however, a setback in Paul Hart's quiet revolution at Portsmouth.
They may now have lost just once in seven matches under their new manager but this was an opportunity missed and Fratton Park voiced its collective disappointment at the end.
Portsmouth were seemingly in control at the interval but are now just four points above the relegation zone with a tense run-in looming.
Portsmouth were businesslike from the start. Livewire Jermaine Pennant buzzed everywhere, Niko Kranjcar orchestrated just behind the threatening Peter Crouch.
The visitors were lucky to escape when Kranjcar swivelled on Pennant's corner, his low shot clipping the outside of Scott Carson's post.
The goal Portsmouth had been threatening duly arrived 12 minutes before the interval and was a product of their incisve, quick-thinking play.
Crouch clipped the ball wide for Pennant, who outfoxed two covering defenders to roll into the path of on-rushing full-back Younes Kaboul.
Kaboul, replacing the suspended Glen Johnson. took a touch and then sent a flashing shot high beyond Carson into the roof of the Albion net.
Not that Portsmouth had it all their own way. A mix-up between Hayden Mullins and Sol Campbell let in James Morrison but his shot from the edge of the penalty area was smothered by David James.
The Portsmouth goalkeeper was also relieved to see a piledriver from Chris Brunt fizz wide.
It was a warning Portsmouth failed to heed, for within three minutes of the restart, Albion had levelled after shambolic moments in the Portsmouth rearguard. Hayden Mullins' back-pass caught James off-guard, the Portsmouth goalkeeper scuffing a clearance to Morrison.
The shot was blocked but with Portsmouth still in disarray, Jonathan Greening had time to stroke home.
Suddenly the lowly visitors were infused with confidence, and Brunt drove them ahead from a low free-kick in the 62nd minute. The unlikely lead, however, lasted just three minutes, Kranjcar also obtaining maximum effect from a free-kick, blasting high beyond Carson's reach from 20 yards.
From then on it was largely Portsmouth, Kranjcar and Crouch going close to
completing the comeback, but West Bromwich clung on for a gutsy point.
"It would have been a good point earlier in the season but today it probably isn't," Mowbray said. With six games remaining, time is running out for Albion.
