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Match Report
Portsmouth v Birmingham 17 September 2005
Ten-man Blues hold Pompey
Portsmouth 1 - 1 Birmingham
Portsmouth had to settle for a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City, despite Nicky Butt being sent off before the break.
The on-loan Newcastle United man was handed his marching orders for kicking out at Portsmouth's Dario Silva after getting into a brief altercation with the Uruguayan.
The incident came after Tresor Lomana Lua Lua had given Pompey an early lead - only for Jiri Jarosik to earn Blues a point with an immediate reply.
Pompey boss Alain Perrin kept faith with the same starting XI that earned the club's first win of the season at Everton last Saturday.
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce, meanwhile, brought in Olivier Tebily at right back for the injured Mario Melchiot, as the visitors went for their second away win of the season.
Julian Gray replaced Jamie Clapham on the left, while Emile Heskey overcame an ankle problem to start alongside Mikael Forssell in attack for Blues.
On a bright and sunny afternoon at Fratton Park, an eventful first half saw two goals in the first six minutes.
Lua Lua created the first chance of the match when the striker swung in a right-footed shot that Birmingham's Damien Johnson needed to hook off the line for a corner.
From the ensuing corner, Laurent Robert's left-foot set piece found Lua Lua at the near post and the DR Congo international beat Birmingham goalkeeper Maik Taylor to finish from close range for 1-0.
Pompey's lead, however, lasted just two minutes after Jermaine Pennant was fouled by Robert down the right flank. From Pennant's right-footed free kick, Jarosik was left unmarked to connect with a free header and score at the far post, as Pompey goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown was left helpless on the goal line.
Moments later, the on-loan Chelsea man tested the Fratton Park number one with a strike from outside the box.
From that point until the break, Pompey started to control possession, with Robert creating problems for Birmingham's backline down the left-hand side.
The Frenchman forced Taylor to claim a cross with striker Silva looming before Lua Lua nearly got on the end of a low cross from the winger moments later.
Kenny Cummingham was then called on to cut out Gary O'Neil's cross from the right as Silva closed on the ball before Robert forced Butt to block his free kick near the goal line.
Pompey kept pressing and Matthew Upson needed to head away a dangerous Robert cross from the left before Lua Lua forced Taylor into a diving save after beating Tebily on the left and the loose ball came out to Butt, who coolly found Gray before the danger was cleared.
Despite the pressure, Birmingham looked solid enough to be level by half time but their task was even more difficult after Gray was adjudged to have fouled Silva near the edge of the box.
As Portsmouth organised the set piece, Butt kicked out at Silva after the striker raised his arms trying to get position in front of Birmingham's goal.
Referee Dermot Gallagher went to consult with his assistant on the near side before issuing cards to both players, as Silva earned a booking and Butt was sent off for his retaliatory kick at the South American.
The decision infuriated Bruce and his assistant Eric Black, who confronted Gallagher as both sides went to their respective dressing rooms for half time.
The second half saw Pompey try and use the extra man to their advantage but Andy O'Brien's near post header from Robert's free kick from the left went wide.
Moments later, the home side had a shout for a penalty when Tebily pulled Silva back in the box but Gallagher waved away their appeals.
Pompey were in full control at this stage and Taylor kept Blues in the match with a fine diving save from O'Neil's right foot strike from the edge of the box before Lua Lua saw a speculative effort sail high and wide.
Perrin's side kept making quality chances and after some good play, Silva was unable to beat Taylor with close range strike before substitute Zvonimir Vukic missed a gilt-edged opportunity by shooting over the bar, with only the Northern Ireland international left to beat in the box.
Portsmouth's dominance failed to bring the end product and they nearly threw the points away in the dying stages but Pennant's late effort on the counter-attack went over the bar.
The home side could have taken the win they deserved in injury time but after Taylor spilled Robert's stinging left foot free kick, O'Neil could not steer the ball goalwards on the rebound and the match ended with a point for each side.
| Portsmouth | Team Name | Birmingham | | 1 | Goals | 1 | | 6 | Shots on target ( Inc Goals ) | 2 | | 5 | Shots off Target (inc woodwork) | 1 | | 3 | Blocked Shots | 0 | | 7 | Corners Won | 3 | | 16 | Total Fouls Conceded | 15 | | 1 | Offsides | 2 | | 2 | Yellow Cards | 0 | | 0 | Red Cards | 1 | | 51% | Possession | 49% |
Report From 
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