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Match Report
Charlton v Portsmouth 10 April 2004
ADDICKS HELD BY PLUCKY POMPEY
Charlton 1-1 Portsmouth
Simon Fudge reports
Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth played out a 1-1 draw in their Premiership contest at The Valley on Saturday afternoon. Shaun Bartlett's first goal since October gave The Addicks the lead before Yakubu Aiyegbeni equalised in the second half to earn the South Coast club a valuable point.
On an overcast day at The Valley, the home side took the initiative with Jonatan Johansson and Jason Euell applying early pressure on Portsmouth's backline.
It only took eight minutes for that pressure to pay off for The Addicks, as Johansson's turn and cross from the right was flicked on at the near post by Euell to an unmarked Bartlett at the far post and he easily headed home to make it 1-0.
It was Finnish international Johansson who was causing Pompey problems with his runs out onto the flanks, and from the left-hand side the striker whipped in another cross that forced Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop into a fine diving save at the far post.
The match then fell into an evenly-played midfield scrap, though Charlton's Paul Konchesky was finding his way forward and tested Hislop with a couple of long-range strikes.
Pompey had little to show going forward themselves before the break, with their best chance coming from an indirect free kick.
Teddy Sheringham rolled the ball into path of Matthew Taylor but his deflected shot from the edge of the box found the safe arms of Dean Kiely.
Both sides continued to try and push forward but the first half ended with little excitment, as The Addicks took their one-goal lead into the break.
The second half started with the visitors trying to find their way back into the match and Yakubu nearly got on the end of a dangerous cross from the left.
From the ensuing clearance, Bartlett went close to scoring his second goal but his shot on the edge of the box rolled just wide while Claus Jensen rolled an effort across the face of Hislop's goal.
However, Harry Redknapp's side kept going and from substitute Eyal Berkovic's through ball, Taylor went down the left before cutting a low cross to an unmarked Yakubu, who tapped in with aplomb to delight the travelling Pompey support behind the goal on 65 minutes.
Pompey's equaliser - coupled with Tresor Lomana Lua Lua's inclusion in place of Teddy Sheringham - brought more pressure from the visitors, as they went in search of a vital winner.
However, Charlton thought they had restored their lead but Paolo Di Canio was adjudged offside after he put the ball into the net in the dying stages.
The result leaves Portsmouth just above the drop zone on goal difference from Leeds United, who beat Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday, while Charlton miss out on getting into the European places.
Report From  , For full report and stats, click here.
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