Pompey sneak win over Rovers

Game bursts to life in second half as Pompey secure the win

By Richard Bailey   Last updated: 30th November 2008

Pompey sneak win over Rovers

Heads you win: Crouch nets the opener

Man of the match: Glen Johnson. Continued his good form with another impressive display.

Moment of the match: Peter Crouch's opener. After what had been a dismal game beforehand it suddenly opened the floodgates.

Attempt of the match: Glen Johnson's effort from his own half which seemed to have Paul Robinson sweating.

Save of the match: Robinson's point blank save early on from Glen Little. If that had gone in then who knows what the score would have been.

Talking point: Will Rovers stick with their under pressure boss after picking up just three points from a possible 21.

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Portsmouth secured their first home win under Tony Adams with a 3-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers.

The game exploded into life in the second half after a lacklustre first half had ended with the score at 0-0.

Peter Crouch opened the scoring for Pompey when he headed home Glen Johnson's cross and four minutes later it was two with Jermain Defoe getting in on the act.

Rovers did not give up and scored through substitute Matt Derbyshire before Tugay equalised with another of his brilliant long-distance shots.

Pompey had the final say when another substitute, this time Sean Davis, picked the ball up on the edge of the area and lifted his shot over the advancing Paul Robinson.

Tony Adams' side had a chance to go ahead as early as the fourth minute when Crouch layed the ball off for Glen Little but the winger directed a poor left-footed shot straight at Robinson.

That sparked Blackburn into life and four minutes later it was Pompey's turn to have a narrow escape when Crouch almost scored an own goal, glancing a Brett Emerton corner against the post.

Rovers left-back Stephen Warnock sliced over from Morten Gamst Pedersen's cross soon after, then Roque Santa Cruz drove wide after good work from South African forward Benni McCarthy.

Just before half-time Portsmouth striker Crouch headed over at the far post from Armand Traore's fine cross.

Turning-point

But Crouch made amends four minutes into the second half. Johnson sent over a cross from the right and Crouch's powerful header flashed in for his eighth goal of the season.

Adams' men increased their lead four minutes later when Defoe cleverly worked space on the edge of the area to bury a fine strike past Robinson.

Ince responded by sending on Derbyshire for McCarthy and the substitute pulled one back in the 62th minute - just 30 seconds after coming on - with a header from Pedersen's cross.

Suddenly Portsmouth looked nervous and it was no surprise when Tugay rifled home an equaliser from 25 yards, beating David James low inside his right post.

To their credit, Portsmouth managed to steady themselves and Johnson almost caught out Robinson with a long-range lob that landed on the roof of the net.

Derbyshire had another Blackburn goal disallowed when referee Mark Halsey harshly ruled that James had been fouled.

But Davis, on as a substitute two minutes earlier, gave Portsmouth boss Adams his first home win when he slotted home after Robinson had parried Papa Bouba Diop's shot in the 79th minute.