A place in the Premiership may be inevitable for Portsmouth but Harry Redknapp was shown the extent of his task at Fratton Park next season as his players struggled to an unconvincing win over Walsall.

A goal of sublime quality from Kevin Harper and an equally clinical header from Svetoslav Todorov looked to have settled the game after little more than half an hour, putting Pompey on course for a 25th victory of the league campaign.

But Hayden Foxe's careless mistake shortly before half-time gifted the hosts a goal their performance had barely deserved, and the league leaders were forced to endure a nervous second half at the Bescot Stadium.

And though promotion to England's top flight should now be a formality for the south coast club, Redknapp will reflect on a performance which does not bode well for avoiding an instant return to Division One in 12 months' time.

The relentless pressure from Leicester at the top of the table had been increased further by City's 2-0 victory over Grimsby earlier in the day, and Pompey were almost cut open in the first minute.

A quick build-up from the hosts allowed Junior to run clear into the penalty area but his finish was weak and goalkeeper Shaka Hislop held the ball easily.

Danny Sonner was also given an opening moments later - again wasted by a poor shot which drifted into the crowd - and the First Division leaders were rarely out of their own half during a one-sided opening spell.

But Portsmouth's quality soon began to show and the hosts were fortunate to escape when Steve Stone's cross was headed wide from six yards by unmarked striker Todorov.

And in the 14th minute, the opening goal predictably came for the visitors courtesy of a fabulous effort from Harper.

The Scottish midfielder collected a pass from Stone on the halfway line and ran through the Saddlers defence before wrong-footing Matt Carbon and curling a clinical finish past goalkeeper Gavin Ward.

The strike was all it took for Pompey to find their confidence, although manager Harry Redknapp was forced to alter his side when Dean Burton replaced the injured Yacubu Ayegbini.

Ward was under pressure in the 26th-minute, Paul Merson's curling shot flying straight at him, and the keeper was beaten again seven minutes later.

Former Tottenham midfielder Tim Sherwood fought his way to the byline and found Todorov with a deft cross which the Bulgarian nodded across goal and into the net.

Todorov could have added a third goal shortly before half-time with a 20-yard effort which rose narrowly over the crossbar, but in the 45th minute, Foxe's casual clearance rebounded to Junior who fired across Hislop and in off the post.

The interval failed to settle Portsmouth and defender Gianluca Festa rescued his side immediately after the restart with a well-timed tackle as Jorge Leitao prepared to break clear.

Zigor Aranalde then scraped the side-netting with a powerful left-foot strike after Walsall had stretched Redknapp's backline again, an only an ambitious 30-yard shot from Nigel Quashie caused any concern for Ward at the other end.

The keeper did well to deny Todorov with 22 minutes remaining, getting down quickly to smother, and though he was beaten by Merson's bundled effort, Ian Roper recovered well to scramble the ball off the line.

With time running out, Hislop escaped unpunished after appearing to handle the ball outside the box, and Portsmouth survived three minutes of injury-time to claim the points.

Teams

Walsall: Ward, Bazeley, Carbon, Roper, Aranalde, Corica (Hay 63), Sonner, Samways, Wrack (Matias 88), Leitao (Zdrilic 83), Junior.

Subs Not Used: Harris, Barras.

Goals: Junior 45.

Portsmouth Hislop, Primus, Foxe, Festa, Stone, Sherwood, Quashie, Harper, Merson (O'Neil 89), Todorov, Ayegbini (Burton 24).

Subs Not Used: Kawaguchi, Diabate, Heikkinen.

Booked: Merson.

Goals: Harper 15, Todorov 33.

Att: 7,899

Ref: S Mathieson (Cheshire).