Here is the official BCFC match report for tonights game. From what I heard over the radio waves, I was on the edge of my seat all the way to the end!!!
A clinical Cameron Jerome double in the first half at Fratton Park turned the tables on a Portsmouth side that had knocked Blues out of the FA Cup at the same venue 72 hours earlier.
The striker’s sublime finishing, on both occasions following superb link-up play with Chucho, was enough to land the visitors a 2-1 victory and three more valuable Premier League points on a cold night on the South Coast.
Blues had the upper hand throughout most of the game and, as has been a real feature of the 2009/10 campaign, defended in an organised and disciplined manner right throughout the side and Kanu’s close range header in injury time right at the end was merely a consolation.
Midfielder Barry Ferguson captained Blues as usual skipper Stephen Carr was out with a niggling injury and Lee Bowyer was rested, meaning there was a return for Stuart Parnaby and an eagerly awaited full debut for Spanish midfielder Michel.
Manager Alex McLeish had pledged to make changes and James McFadden and Seb Larsson also dropped down to the bench, giving Chucho and Craig Gardner the chance to start too.
There was plenty of frantic action and tussling for possession but no chances for either side in the early stages.
With 14 minutes played Chucho burst down the left and cut inside Danny Webber. The Ecuadorian spotted Ferguson in space on the edge of the box but the Scot’s first-time shot ricocheted off a defender to safety.
Two minutes later though Blues did go ahead with Chucho involved once again. This time the frontman picked the ball up 25 yards out and threaded a lovely low pass between the Pompey backline and through to the advancing Cameron Jerome who arrowed a low shot into the bottom corner from 16 yards for his sixth goal of the season.
On 18 Chucho went down inside the area under a challenge from Hermann Hreidarsson but despite one or two penalty claims from Blues players referee Mike Jones awarded a free-kick to the home side and flashed a yellow card at the frontman.
Six minutes later a charging Parnaby burst clear down the right and sent over a tantalising cross that Jerome flicked into the path of Keith Fahey inside the box. Inexplicably the Irishman decided to try sand play a one-two with the striker when a shot looked the best option and the chance went.
Nadir Belhadj swung over a low cross as Pompey rallied and Jamie O’Hara was quickest to react and fire in a left footed shot but Joe Hart was more than equal to it, flinging himself to his right to clutch onto the ball low down.
A second booking of the game came Michel’s way just after the half-hour mark for a foul on Belhadj before Ferguson got back into his own area to superbly head a Belhadj cross over the bar before any home player could make the centre count.
On 37 the flag stayed down as Chucho picked up the ball inside the box but with only the keeper to beat he opted to complicate matters and go round David James instead of thumping the ball home. That option gave Hreidarsson time to get back and dispossess the Blues man.
Dindane’s shot skewed wide off Scott Dann shortly after but O’Hara’s corner flew straight into the grateful arms of Hart.
And it was a chance to level that the hosts would soon be left ruing because on 42 Blues doubled the lead courtesy of a second goal for Jerome. The pacy striker won the ball just outside the box and exchanged a sublime one-two with Chucho, the later producing a wonderful bit of skill to nick the ball back to Jerome, before unleashing a clinical low shot under James from just inside the box.
Avram Grant made a double change in time for the start of the second half, bringing on former Blues man Quincy Owusu-Abeyie for Danny Webber and Angelos Basinas for Marc Wilson.
On 49 Parnaby received treatment from the Blues medical team after a challenge with Dindane and he limped off the field of play. It was a case of yet more injury frustration for the defender as the knock forced him out of the game, Teemu Tainio coming on to replace Parnaby for his first game since Liverpool away in November.
That came just after Owusu-Abeyie, seemingly enjoying taking on his former team, had seen an on target half-volley flick behind off Roger Johnson.
With 56 played Fahey tried his luck with a lofted effort from just inside the area on the left. It was worth a try but sailed a couple of yards over the bar.
Blues tormentor in the FA Cup, Frederic Piquionne, narrowly failed to get on the end of an outswinging Belhadj cross from the left as the home side mounted an attack and the visitors were able to clear long downfield.
With 25 minutes left on the clock Grant made his third and final change of the night by bringing on Kanu for Michael Brown.
On 70 Blues progressed upfield with a wonderful move that involved several players and then, a minute later, from a right-sided corner Dann fired high over the target from a central position 12 yards out.
Centre-half Johnson got his head onto a couple of trademark clearances as Pompey pressed but in truth the organised Blues rearguard was holding fort very efficiently.
With 77 on the clock Michel received a rapturous round of applause and song from the travelling faithful for his quality performance as he was replaced by Seb Larsson. No sooner had he entered the field of play was the Swede hacked down by Belhadj, the Portsmouth man picking up a booking for his troubles.
On 80 Chucho was substituted following a truly hardworking and creative display – James McFadden coming on for him. Within seconds the Scot had cut into the area and onto the end of a Larsson pass and unleashed a low shot after turning Tal Ben Haim that had James reacting sharply to dive low to his left and save.
Hart sublimely tipped over a Dindane piledriver in injury time but Kanu headed home from close range after Basinas had rolled a short corner to O’Hara for him to swing a ball in for the Nigerian.
But in the end as the final whistle blew after four minutes of injury time it was Blues fans that could head home celebrating another excellent away top flight win.
Portsmouth: David James, Jamie O’Hara, Hermann Hreidarsson, Frederic Piquionne, Michael Brown (Kanu 65), Steve Finnan, Danny Webber (Quincy Owusu-Abeyie 46), Aruna Dindane, Tal Ben Haim, Marc Wilson (Angelos Basinas 46), Nadir Belhadj. Unused subs: Jamie Ashdown, Aaron Mokoena, Hayden Mullins, Papa Bouba Diop.
Blues: Joe Hart, Stuart Parnaby (Teemu Tainio 52), Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Liam Ridgewell, Craig Gardner, Michel (Seb Larsson 77), Barry Ferguson, Keith Fahey, Chucho (James McFadden 80), Cameron Jerome. Unused subs: Maik Taylor, David Murphy, Jake Jervis, Franck Queudrue.
Referee: Mike Jones
Bookings: Chucho (18), Michel (31), Nadir Belhadj (79)
Goals: Cameron Jerome (16, 42), Kanu (90)
Attendance: 18,465
Blues battled back from a two goals down to earn themselves a deserved 2-2 draw against Everton on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors’ looked to be running away with the game as they raced into a two goal lead within 22 minutes, but a quickfire reply from Cameron Jerome and a second half strike from Craig Gardner earned Alex McLeish’s men an excellent point.
Disaster struck on 22 minutes when the usually tight Blues defence conceded a second goal in the space of three minutes.
Blues then came close to restoring parity just after the half hour mark, but Scott Dann’s header was cleared by the Everton defence a yard in front of their own goal line.
A long ball was launched forward by Hart, Jerome headed it into Gardner’s path on the edge of the box, and the boyhood Blues fan made no mistake as he unleashed a low drive which beat Howard and nestled in the bottom corner of the net.
Both sides were certainly not sitting back for a draw, as the game swung from end to end.
