A strong Portsmouth side claimed a 2-1 win over non-league Oxford United at The Kassam Stadium.
Diop and Defoe on target
A strong Portsmouth side claimed a 2-1 win over non-league Oxford United at The Kassam Stadium.
Papa Bouba Diop and Jermain Defoe both grabbed first-half goals to secure victory for Harry Redknapp as he took on his old friend Jim Smith - who is now on the board at the club.
Potential England strike-force Peter Crouch and Defoe, linked up well throughout but it was through Diop on the half-hour that the breakthrough came.
Djimi Traore crossed from the left and Diop was there to side-foot home at the near post.
Pompey doubled their advantage just before the break when a slick pass from Lassana Diarra found Defoe's run in the box and he produced a quality finish to beat Ben Hinchcliffe in the home goal.
Niko Kranjcar and Diop again tried their luck from distance in the second-half but substitute goalkeeper Jake Cole was equal to them.
Then Oxford claimed a consolation when Richard Groves crossed for Alex Fisher to fire home past David James to the delight of the near 5,000 crowd.
One cause of concern for Redknapp will have been an injury in the second half to Diarra which forced him off.
