Pompey Chimes Silenced By Deano
scored the equaliser
By J Bateman
November 7 2002
Wolves grabbed a piont in this high tempo and blood and guts game against Portsmouth , Merson fired Pompey ahead only for Deano to level seven minutes later.
We welcomed the leaders to Molineux tonight and i anticipated a great game of football between the two sides , and i wasn't dissapionted either. Pompey after Saturdays waterlogged game must have been rubbing there hands playing on such a lush surface tonight.
The opening exchanges were pretty muted as both sides were feeling each other out ,but 10 minutes into the game Wolves were dealt a bitter blow when under a rash challenge by Paul Ritchie , Nathan Blake limped of injured and was replaced by Dean Sturridge.
The first chance of the game was to Portsmouth and boy i was really glad to see Nigel Quashies great drive cannon off the cross bar and to safety, it all started with a short corner by Paul Merson who found Quashie on the edge of the box and in acres of space the rest you know.
Wolves Dean Sturridge who has been bursting at the bit to get back into first team action galloped unattended down the left, and totally unmarked strode into the box and fired a great drive towards goal but Pompey keeper Hislop tipped the effort over the bar.
Wolves started to take control and forced a staggering six corners in as many minutes , the latter corner fell nicely to Kenny Miller who forced hislop into a great save , the keeper parried out to Alex Rae who's effort was high wide and Alan Hansen.
Yet another diabolical challenge which Harry Redknapp claimed was fair , i can assure Redknapp that it was a career ending challenge and Lassino Diabate was lucky not to get red carded , both went into a 50 -50 ball but Diabate was very high and left Ndah screaming and clutching his knee , Ndah was stretchered off and replaced by Mark Kennedy who got a standing ovation from the Wolves faithful , what really got me goat was that the player did'nt even get booked for it by now the ref was having a stinker.
Portsmouth ended the first half the stronger and if it wasn't for Matt Murray would have gone infront , Nigel Quashie got a great cross in from the right and an unmarked Paul Merson at the back stick, he controlled first time and got a shot it but Matt Murray was equal to it and tipped it round the post for a corner.
Half Time Wolves 0 Portsmouth 0
After a very tough and high tempo first half we were hoping the game from a Wolves view would carry on into the second half.
The first two efforts of the half were by Paul Ince , the first one was a cracking drive from the edge of the area which went inches wide ,the second effort for Ince i would class as a sitter , a cracking cross from Kennedy was pinpiont straight onto Deano's head but the striker got it all wrong and heading it well wide but luckily for Wolves , Kenny Miller was able to keep the ball in play and get it back into the box and Paul Ince burst into the box and blazed a simple chance well wide of the goal.
But as Wolves luck in years gone by we went behind a some what fortunate free kick award on the edge of the box was capitalised on by Paul Merson , once again Quashie was waiting with Merson but as the first free kick chance in the first half was touched to the side by Merson this time the Pompey star bent his kick around the wall and in for 1-0.
Gloom turned to mass delight seven minutes later when Wolves levelled up , great play from Denis Irwin on the egde of the box slipped in Dean Sturridge who wriggled throught the Pompey defence and lifted the ball over the on rushing Shaka Hislop.
Wolves enjoyed the second half and only really were worried when Vincent Pircard got into the box dangerously but was thwarted by Joleon Lescott who cleared to safety.
Stop me if i'm being biased on Wolves front but the second half showing from Wolves was at best dominate and Pompey didn't do a thing , fair play to Portsmouth thought they did have key players out and it may have been a different scenario but Wolves were top class tonight and if it had been any other side tonight we would have won 5-1.
Full Time Wolves 1 Portsmouth 1
Wolves: Murray, Edworthy, Lescott, Clyde, Irwin, Ndah (Kennedy 34), Ince, Rae, Cooper (Newton 82), Blake (Sturridge 15), Miller.
Subs Not Used: Oakes, Ingimarsson.
Booked: Sturridge, Ince.
Portsmouth: Hislop, Stone, Primus, Ritchie, Taylor, Quashie, Diabate (O'Neil 76), Merson, Robinson (Harper 52), Todorov (Burchill 71), Pericard.
Subs Not Used: Cooper, Kawaguchi.
Booked: Stone, Robinson, Quashie.
Att: 27,022
Ref: G Salisbury