September 11 2004

Danny Granville

A poor Crystal Palace display meant Portsmouth ran out 3-1 winners at Fratton Park.

The Eagles could argue they should have got more from the game had lady luck been on their side.

Danny Granville's free-kick crashed off the woodwork, Andy Johnson missed a penalty and Pompey's third goal came via a Tony Popovic own goal.

But in truth, Portsmouth were the better side. Palace seemed nervous and could barely string more then three passes together, while Pompey looked assured and the extra quality was the difference between the two sides.

Palace couldn't have got off to a worse start, going a goal down after just three minutes; RICARDO FULLER was given all the time in the world to pick his spot in the corner from 12 yards from Yakubu's pass.

Palace were on the ropes but were close to equalising as Granville's 25-yard free-kick hit the woodwork.

Three minutes before the break, his luck came in as he guided Wayne Routledge's corner past Shaka Hislop and in the back of the net to level.

However, Pompey regained the lead just a minute into the second half as Patrik Berger let fly with a ferocious drive which keeper Julian Speroni couldn't keep out.

Johnson had a goal disallowed when he was half a yard offside before Sandor Torghelle, on his return to the side from injury, won a penalty after getting hacked in the box by Linvoy Primus.

Johnson's penalty kick straight down the middle was saved by Hislop. Had it gone in, the game could have gone a different way.

Instead, the hosts went on to add another when Steve Stone's cross was cruelly put past his own keeper by Popovic.

Palace: Speroni, Boyce, Hudson, Popovic, Granville, Routledge (Derry 86), Riihilahti (Hughes 86), Hall, Kolkka (Ventola 70), Johnson, Torghelle.

Subs not used: Kiraly, Powell.

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