Newcastle 0 Pompey 0
Steve Wilson with the action as it happened at St James' Park.
POMPEY: James, Johnson, Distin, Campbell, Hreidarsson, Nugent (Pennant, 65), Davis, Mullins, Hughes, Belhadj, Crouch. Subs: Begovic, Pamarot, Cranie, Basinas, Utaka, Kanu.
NEWCASTLE: Harper, Beye, Bassong, Coloccini, Enrique (Guthrie, 28), Smith, Butt (Gutierrez, 71), Duff, Viduka (Carroll, 64), Martins, Owen. Subs: Krul, Barton, Lovenkrands, Edgar.
Ref: Mike Riley.
Paul Hart stuck with an unchanged line-up from the side that lost 2-0 at Manchester United last week as David Nugent recovered from a dead leg to take his place on the right of a five-man midfield.
Younes Kaboul was again ruled out with his thigh problem while Niko Kranjcar's ankle injury appears to have ruled him out for the remainder of the season.
For Newcastle, Alan Shearer opted for an attacking formation with three strikers in Mark Viduka, Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen forged a three-man forward line.
Alan Smith, Damien Duff and Nicky Butt were the three in midfield, as the former England captain went for broke in a game that Newcastle simply have to win in their battle to avoid the drop.
00 - Kick off.
04 - Early pressure from the home side in a pulsating atmosphere. Pompey know they have to quieten down the crowd here.
08 - Although the home side have had the better of the possession, there hasn't been any moments of concern for David James just yet. Pompey are sitting deep at the moment and just weathering the storm at the moment.
13 - Everyone expected Newcastle to make a fast start and it seems Pompey are ready for it. They've kep their shape well so far and although they haven't ventured forward too much, they know they can afford to soak up a bit of pressure to start with.
15 – Free-kick for Pompey in a dangerous area, but although Glen Johnson wriggles himself a yard of space after a touch from Nadir Belhadj, the shot is charged down and the danger is cleared for a corner that comes to nothing.
20 – First yellow card of the evening and it's shown to Sebastien Bassong for a tug back on Johnson on the left flank. The free-kick is wasted by Pompey though.
24 – Pompey have started to get a bit more of the ball and look confident in possession. They've got into some decent areas but haven't found the right final ball just yet. Newcastle look decidedly nervy at the back though.
28 - Substitution for Newcastle as Jose Enrique pulls up with what looks like a hamstring injury. Danny Guthrie replaces him and Damien Duff is pushed back to left-back.
30 – Double let-off for Pompey as Alan Smith's powerful shot strikes Hermann Hreidarsson on the arm as the defender makes the block and just moments later, Guthrie's drive is half blocked and so nearly falls to Mark Viduka with an open goal, but Johnson slides in to clear the danger.
33 – First shot on target of the game and it's Sean Davis with the effort from the edge of the box that Steve Harper palms over the top. Decent save, but one the goalkeeper should make really.
35 - Alan Smith tries his luck from distance but it's always going over the top.
38 – Good effort from Duff as he cuts in from the left and fires in a low right-footed drive that David James tips around the post. Viduka heads narrowly off target from the resultant corner with James stranded.
44 - Obafemi Martins should have put the home side in front there but his half volley from eight yards out takes nick and flies over the crossbar. Big let-off for the Blues.
45 – Silly booking for Hreidarsson after some argy-bargy in the penalty box waiting for a Pompey corner.
45 – HALF TIME: NEWCASTLE 0 POMPEY 0.
46 - We're off and running again.
50 – Big penalty shout for Pompey as Crouch appears to be felled by Fabricio Coloccini in the box, but referee Mike Riley points for a goal-kick. It looked a good shout from here.
56 – Good stuff from Pompey as Johnson bombs forward and sees his shot charged down. Hayden Mullins tried his luck with a powerful follow-up that drifts wide.
62 – James causes a few Pompey hearts to flutter as he spills Duff's cross with Viduka lurking, but the Blues keeper just manages to get a hand on it and it's hacked away.
63 – Michael Owen spurns a golden chance as he goes one-on-one through on goal, but James gets his angles right and blocks well.
64 – Andy Carroll comes on for Viduka.
65 - Pompey make their first change as Jermaine Pennant replaces Nugent.
69 - Good run from Johnson as he wriggles past a couple of defenders, but drags his shot well wide.
71 - Last change for Newcastle as Jonas Gutierrez comes on for Nicky Butt.
73 – Terrific break by Belhadj as he latches on to Mullins' pass and bears down on goal, but Harper is equal to the shot and tips over the crossbar.
75 – Johnson is booked for time-wasting as he takes his time over a free-kick.
79 – Two good chances in the space of 30 seconds as Martins threatens to go clean through, only for Distin to poke the ball away at the last second and just moments later, Crouch has a sight of goal but scuffs the chance and Harper makes the save.
82 – So nearly the breakthrough for Pompey as Richard Hughes' header pings back off the outside of the post from Pennant's corner.
87 – Pompey are finishing the stronger here. Can they just create that one chance to win the game? It's still on a knife-edge though.
88 – Carroll is booked for a high arm on Johnson.
90 - Three minutes of stoppage time to play.
FULL TIME: NEWCASTLE 0 POMPEY 0.
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 14 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
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