By Alan G
May 1 2006

Portsmouth ensured their top-flight survival by beating Latics with the aid of a dodgy linesman’s decision. With the score at 0-0, Henri Camara raced through the Pompey defence and coolly slotted past Dean Kiely, only for the linesman to flag for offside, even though Camara was easily a yard on-side.

The first half was highly entertaining, with Latics players linking well and the midfield surging forward, barely missing the soon-to-depart Jimmy Bullard.

David Thompson climbed high at the far post to reach Gary Teale's cross but could not keep his header down, while at the other end Andres D'Alessandro picked out Svetoslav Todorov with his cross, only for the Bulgarian striker to head over from six yards.

Benjani Mwaruwari fired a shot at Mike Pollitt and from that, Latics broke upfield, Graham Kavanagh send Camara clear but Kiely spread himself to save.

Camara finally opened the Latics account in the 34^th minute. Thompson's corner was cleared back to him and his second cross found an unmarked Matt Jackson whose header was parried by Kiely into the path of Camara who stabbed home from three yards.

Portsmouth had another let-off when Jackson again escaped shoddy marking only to head Thompson's corner wide from five yards out.

Had Camara’s earlier effort been allowed, then at 2-0, things would have looked bleak for Pompey. Buoyant from their recent run of good form, they emerged for the second half champing at the bit and immediately put Latics under a lot of pressure.

 

Harry Redknapp undertook a feat of reconstruction at the interval which introduced Noe Pamarot to the defence and rebuilt his midfield by switching the talented but defensively naïve Andres D'Alessandro to the right, and pushing Gary O'Neil to the middle.

The effect was instantaneous, Todorov missed a golden chance to level at the start of the second half when he met Benjani's near-post cross and from two yards out somehow contrived to scoop the ball over the bar.

Mike Pollitt preserved Latics’ lead with good reactions to block Gary O'Neil's first-time shot from Brian Priske's cross but his luck deserted him when Benjani broke his duck to level.

Matt Taylor's shot rebounded off the inside of the post and the Zimbabwean nodded in from a yard out for his first goal since his £4.4m move from Auxerre.

Pollitt went full-length to claw away a Mendes piledriver and D'Alessandro curled a shot inches wide as Porstmouth, with the wind in their sails, sensed victory.

They were handed the lead by Gary Teale, who handled Benjani's goal-bound header to earn himself a red card and Pompey a penalty which Taylor tucked away.

 

Paul Jewell:
"That game summed up our season, in the first half we played really well but couldn't keep up the tempo in the second.

"We've taken the lead in six of the last seven games but couldn't hold on.

"We have to get that ruthless streak, we got away with it this year but next year we have to get better."

Latics: Pollitt, Chimbonda, Jackson, Henchoz, Baines, Teale, Thompson (Scharner 72), Kavanagh (Johansson 84), McCulloch, Roberts, Camara (Connolly 80).
Subs Not Used: Wright, Francis.

Sent Off: Teale (70).

Booked: Baines, Henchoz, McCulloch.

Goal: Camara 34.

Portsmouth: Kiely, Priske, Primus, Stefanovic, Taylor, O'Neil, Davis (Pamarot 45), Pedro Mendes (Hughes 68), D'Alessandro, Mwaruwari, Todorov (Routledge 90).
Subs Not Used: Ashdown, Karadas.

Booked: Hughes.

Goals: Mwaruwari 63, Taylor 71 pen.

Att: 21,126

Referee: M Riley (W Yorkshire).