Lee Bradbury scored twice to earn Portsmouth a point as he returned to haunt
his former club and provide a temporary setback to City's automatic promotion
hopes.
Joe Royle's side appeared to be strolling towards a comfortable victory before
a crowd of 19,015 at Fratton Park as they took a two-goal advantage inside the
opening 41 minutes.
Defender Spencer Prior headed them in front before striker Robert Taylor
doubled the lead with a neat finish at the near post.
But Bradbury pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time from the penalty
spot after Taylor had handled Justin Edinburgh's hopeful ball into the area.
And the former City striker earned Pompey mathematical safety from relegation
in the 84th minute when he headed home inside the left-hand post.
Bradbury endured a miserable spell at Maine Road after his £3.5million move to
City nearly three years ago.
He struggled for form before being transferred to
Crystal Palace for a cut-price fee.
But the former soldier returned to Portsmouth earlier this season and he
showed he had lost none of his finishing prowess as he stole between two
defenders and powered home Ceri Hughes' cross.
Bradbury could even have scored a winner in the dying seconds as he lobbed the
ball over goalkeeper Nicky Weaver and shot towards goal but defender Richard
Jobson somehow got his body in the way to block the effort.
Royle and his City players were left to regret throwing away a two-goal lead
after they had taken control of the match with an impressive first-half
display.
Prior was well placed to head home Gerard Wiekens' cross in the 26th minute at
the near post and Taylor doubled the advantage 15 minutes later when he produced
a neat back-flick to fool Portsmouth goalkeeper Russell Hoult at the near-post.
Bradbury's penalty restored hope for Portsmouth but City's leading scorer
Shaun Goater should have restored the two-goal advantage in the 76th minute when
he headed inexplicably wide from just six yards, and he was left to regret his
miss as Bradbury pulled the scores level eight minutes later.
Teams
Portsmouth: Hoult, Waterman (Crowe 74), Moore, Myers,
Edinburgh, Harper, Thogersen, Derry (Awford 67), Hughes, Allen,
Bradbury.
Subs Not Used: Whitbread, Flahavan, Nightingale.
Booked: Derry.
Goals: Bradbury 44 pen, 84.
Man City: Weaver, Edghill, Prior, Jobson, Wiekens (Horlock 67),
Pollock, J. Whitley, Tiatto, Kennedy (Granville 86), Goater,
R. Taylor (Dickov 61).
Subs Not Used: Bishop, Wright.
Booked: R. Taylor.
Goals: Prior 26, R. Taylor 40.
Att: 19,015
Ref: P Alcock (Halstead).
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