Just when Nottingham Forest boss Dave Bassett thought things could not get any worse - they have.

Bassett had expected to beat Portsmouth, who are 20th in Division One, but Steve Claridge scored the only goal to send Forest's season of woe crashing to a new low.

Forest's embarrassing FA Cup third-round exit at the hands of cash-strapped Pompey comes just five days after they extended their own Premiership record of 17 matches without a win.

The disillusioned Forest fans among the paltry 10,000 crowd at the City Ground reacted to this latest humiliation by chanting 'Sack the board' and 'Bassett out'.

Bassett admits his days in charge of the Premiership's bottom club could be numbered, but points to the problems he has had such as a lack of money and the loss of key players Colin Cooper and Kevin Campbell.

Such excuses look particularly lame after this defeat to Alan Ball's side who would love to have Forest's problems.

Pompey are several million pounds in debt and recently the entire squad was put on the transfer market in an attempt to help clear their overdraft.

They fully deserved to win this clash of the crisis clubs.

They played the better football on a badly cut up pitch, while Forest were totally clueless up front.

One Forest player to emerge from this debacle with some credit was goalkeeper Dave Beasant, who lifted the FA Cup with Wimbledon in 1988.

The 39-year-old rolled back the years to deny Portsmouth with a terrific save in the third minute.

Sammy Igoe's 20-yard effort looked as if it would beat Beasant until he recovered to tip the ball onto the crossbar and away for a corner.

Pompey continued to unsettle their hosts and Claridge directed a header just over the bar.

Michalis Vlachos, who had been booked in the sixth minute, received his final warning for a foul on Andy Johnson just outside the Pompey area.

Steve Chettle drove in the free-kick, which took a deflection, and Portsmouth's veteran goalkeeper Alan Knight saved Pat Jennings-style with his legs.

That stop became all the more significant in the 18th minute when Pompey took the lead.

Frenchman Jeff Peron made a surging run into the Forest box and he slipped the ball to the unmarked Claridge at the second attempt.

He fired home into the far corner.

Birthday boy Scot Gemmill, 28 today, played a neat one-two with Chris Bart-Williams before curling a right-foot shot centimetres past the far post.

Forest, without a win in normal time since September 15, were increasingly losing their way as Pompey's confidence grew.

Claridge robbed Jon Olav Hjelde on the halfway line and set off on a run which resulted in him shooting into the arms of Beasant.

Forest were devoid of ideas up front and when Stone linked well with Bart-Williams to pull the ball back there was no-one coming in at the back post to finish off the move.

Forest brought on Andy Gray for Des Lyttle on the hour and the displeased Lyttle walked straight past the home dugout to the changing rooms.

Gemmill then stung Knight's hands with a drive before Portsmouth substitute Luke Nightingale went close to a second goal which would have put the tie beyond Forest's reach.

Neil Shipperley, without a goal in nine games for Forest, summed up their afternoon when he fired yards over the top from a good chance on the edge of the area.

Vachlos made a goal-line clearance in the final minutes as Forest searched for an equaliser and Beasant became an extra striker - but there was no way out of the woods for Forest.

Teams:

Nottm Forest: Beasant, Jean, Lyttle (Gray 64), Freedman (Harewood 71), Chettle, Hjelde, Stone, Gemmill, Shipperley, Johnson (Quashie 77), Bart-Williams.

Subs Not Used: Doig, Crossley.

Booked: Hjelde, Shipperley, Harewood.

Portsmouth: Knight, Robinson, F. Simpson, McLoughlin, Waterman, Andreasson (Nightingale 64), Thomson, Peron, Vlachos, Claridge, Igoe.

Subs Not Used: Phillips, Day, Perrett, R. Simpson.

Booked: Vlachos.

Goals: Claridge 17.

Att: 10,092

Ref: A Wilkie (Chester-le-Street).