Strikers Peter Crouch and Steve Lovell fired home second-half goals to give
Portsmouth a valuable win against bottom club Stockport.
The match had seemed destined to remain goalless until Crouch broke the
deadlock in the 71st minute with his 14th goal of the season.
Kevin Harper was the provider, delivering an inviting centre for the tall
striker to stretch out a long leg and divert the ball home inside the left-hand
post.
Lovell wasted a golden chance four minutes later to extend Portsmouth's
advantage when he shot wastefully wide with just goalkeeper Lee Jones to beat.
But the pacy striker, recalled to the starting line-up in place of the injured
Lee Bradbury, made amends 10 minutes from time with a fine individual effort.
Lovell beat two Stockport defenders on the left hand edge of the penalty area
before firing across Jones and inside the right-hand upright from a tight
angle.
Portsmouth came into the game having lost their last three matches and
Stockport had lost their last five and it showed in a disappointing opening 45
minutes where there were few chances.
Crouch could have opened the scoring in the second minute after being picked
out by Harper but Jones did well to beat away his fierce right-foot drive with a
reaction save.
Teams:
Portsmouth: Kawaguchi, Primus, Tiler, Buxton, Harper, Barrett,
Quashie, Prosinecki, Pitt (Vincent 85), Lovell, Crouch.
Subs Not Used: Tardif, Hiley, O'Neil, Vine.
Goals: Crouch 71, Lovell 82.
Stockport: Jones, Clark, Roget, Flynn, Briggs (Taylor 78),
Gibb, Lescott, Delaney, Ellison, Kuqi, Beckett (McSheffrey 69).
Subs Not Used: Turner, Woodthorpe, Palmer.
Booked: Delaney, Lescott.
Att: 13,887
Ref: S Baines (Chesterfield).
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