Richmond Spurs: Match Report: Pompey vs Spurs 12/15/07

Courtesy of Official Site-

Dimitar Berbatov scored the goal that secured us a first Premier League away win
of the season against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday.
It was fifth
goal of the season for the striker in all competitions and it provided the
perfect pre-Christmas tonic of three points banked.In what felt like sub-zero
temperatures on the South Coast, Juande Ramos handed a second Premiership start
to Kevin Prince Boateng in central midfield alongside Jermaine Jenas, while
Darren Bent got the nod to begin up front in tandem with Dimitar Berbatov.
Michael Dawson was unavailable due to illness, so Didier Zokora once again
occupied a central defensive berth alongside Younes Kaboul. Pompey had four
former Spurs in their 16 on duty - Sol Campbell, Noe Pamarot, Pedro Mendes and
Sean Davis. It was John Utaka who made the first purposeful surge, one that it
took Jenas to speed back and repel. Utaka was looking the principal threat for
the home side, while there was a good tempo and some crisp passing from the team
in white, with Bent dispatching the first shot that flew a foot or so wide of
the top corner. Steed Malbranque thought he was on the scoresheet for the second
time in as many seasons at this venue in the 16th minute when, from an Aaron
Lennon cross, Boateng struck in on goal and was foiled by David James.
Malbranque poked home the rebound, but the flag of the assistant was aloft. Papa
Bouba Diop attempted to muscle his way through at the other end and had his
effort diverted away by Zokora, before Berbatov flicked just over the bar from
an offside position. A Sulley Muntari free-kick was, moments later, smothered
well by Paul Robinson. Bent then evaded his marker and worked himself a shooting
position but failed to generate enough power to trouble James. Lennon and Bent
combined to create an opening for Berbatov in front of goal, with only a late
Campbell intervention preventing the Bulgarian stroking home. Malbranque buzzed
into the box at the start of the second half but clipped a cross-shot to the
unoccupied far post, while Lennon and Bent both had opportunities to stretch the
home defences with their pace. Lennon fizzed in a cross with 53 minutes on the
clock that James attempted to prevent making a connection with the head of Bent.
What he did do was ensure the ball struck the back of Glen Johnson, but Bent had
already advanced and was unable to seize on the loose ball. Neither side was
really establishing superiority in the game, one which was a little frenetic and
lacking some poise from individual playmakers. It was punctuated with fouls,
which was not helping the flow of the contest, but the home crowd were voicing a
degree of frustration - something that is normally a good sign. Berbatov strode
goalwards at the midway point in the half but the on-rushing James got just
about enough on the ball to prevent him making capital before the substitute
David Nugent headed narrowly over at the other end. On 74 minutes Berbatov was
joined by Jermain Defoe with Bent making way and he was quickly followed by
Jamie O'Hara, who got to make his Premier League debut in place of Boateng. He
made a quick impression with an angled ball that picked out Defoe, who proceeded
to ping it over James but also over the bar. The changes breathed new life into
attacking intent and the deadlock was broken on 81 minutes. Lennon zipped a
cross off the back of his marker Hermann Hreidarsson and the deviation in flight
deceived the defenders and Berbatov was waiting at the back post to steer past
James before joining the Spurs fans for a celebration.
O'Hara might have
netted were it not for the head of Niko Kranjcar getting in the way but it
mattered little when the referee sounded the whistle to send us home happy.
Cold, but very happy.