FA Premiership/Portsmouth 0 Middlesbrough 0: Middlesbrough seem finally to have found some consistency to the season, a display of resilience grinding out a goalless draw last night. In its own way, it will have given manager Gareth Southgate as much satisfaction as the preceding six matches which had seen his team score 18 goals.
Although Middlesbrough went into this match having not defeated Portsmouth for 12 years, their recent form gave cause for hope and they began with the sort of confidence befitting a team trying to protect an unbeaten start to 2007. With Mark Viduka missing due to a hamstring problem, Southgate started with Yakubu Ayegbeni alone up front and the invitation to his wide players, Stewart Downing and James Morrison, to get forward.
Downing duly caused Portsmouth an immediate problem down the left when he surged beyond Glen Johnson and then cut back to deliver a far-post cross which Morrison came within inches of converting.
Harry Redknapp brought Ayegbeni to English football four years ago and the Nigerian, who was sold to Middlesbrough for £7.5 million in 2005, carried the majority of the visitors' initial threat. Twice in the opening half-hour he came close to bursting through the defence only to be dispossessed by Sol Campbell and then Linvoy Primus.
Middlesbrough's extra man in the centre of midfield meant a large share of possession and Portsmouth had to rely rely on set-pieces and long-range efforts for their first-half chances. Benjani Mwaruwari went closest with a looping header from Pedro Mendes' free-kick which sailed narrowly wide. Portsmouth were also denied a decent penalty shout before half-time when Jonathan Woodgate upended Nwankwo Kanu.
Portsmouth upped their tempo at the beginning of the second half and twice forced Jones into excellent saves. First Mendes let fly from 30 yards out and then Matthew Taylor pounced on a mistake by Abel Xavier to smash a left-foot volley which Brad Jones did well to parry clear.
Portsmouth's greater adventure left Middlesbrough needing to soak up considerable pressure as the second half wore on. Again it was from dead-ball situations which Pompey looked most threatening. The final ball, though, was often lacking and in an attempt to break the deadlock Redknapp brought on Lomana LuaLua.
Within five minutes of his introduction, he shot just past the right-hand post. Redknapp's final throw of the dice was the introduction of Andy Cole but Middlesbrough held firm.
PORTSMOUTH: James, Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Traore (Douala 69), O'Neil, Lauren, Pedro Mendes, Taylor, Mwaruwari (LuaLua 73), Kanu (Cole 81). Subs not used: Ashdown, Hughes.
MIDDLESBROUGH: Jones, Xavier, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor, Morrison (Christie 81), Boateng, Cattermole, Arca, Downing, Yakubu (Euell 90). Subs not used: Turnbull, Rochemback, Davies. Booked: Downing.
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
