Portsmouth failed to capitalise on their early kick-off as lowly Brighton claimed a deserved point at the Withdean Stadium.

Harry Redknapp's side may have extended their lead at the top of the table to five points, but their failure to complete a league double over the division's bottom club will provide a welcome boost for second-placed Leicester.

Neither will Redknapp want reminding that Portsmouth have won just one of their last nine games in all competitions, although he can take comfort from the way they recovered from a woeful first-half showing and the concession of a Bobby Zamora goal nine minutes after the break to claim an equaliser through Svetoslav Todorov - his 13th goal of the season.

Brighton boss Steve Coppell will arguably be the happier of the two managers, despite the fact his side remain rooted to the foot of the table, having won just one of their last 11 games.

There was little evidence in the early exchanges of the 40-point gap separating these sides before kick-off.

Indeed, it was the underdogs who threatened first, Paul Brooker shooting wide from just outside the penalty area before Graham Barrett had a similar effort blocked by Hayden Foxe.

That Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop was not tested by either player was forgivable, although the same luxury cannot be afforded Zamora, who missed the target after finding the ball at his feet six yards out.

Brooker's growing influence on the game was underlined when he tried his luck from distance after 20 minutes, but Hislop was again grateful to see the ball whistle the wrong side of his left upright.

Zamora was similarly wasteful shortly after, although this time it was the supporters to Hislop's right who were ducking for cover.

It was a different story after the interval, with on-loan goalkeeper Ben Roberts thankful for the woodwork in keeping out the first of two Nigel Quashie strikes in as many minutes.

The expected Portsmouth surge did not materialise, not least until Zamora had put Brighton ahead with a low left-footed drive from Brooker's pass.

The lead lasted just 10 minutes, however, with the introduction of Nigerian debutant Yacubu Ayegbini in place of Vincent Pericard crucial in Portsmouth's equaliser.

Ayegbini, who received international clearance this week following his loan move from Maccabi Haifa, forced Roberts into a stunning fingertip save and, from the resulting corner, Todorov supplied the finish.

That represented the last piece of meaningful action, with Zamora's wayward long-distance strike the highlight of a disappointingly uneventful final few minutes.

Teams:

Brighton: Roberts, Mayo, Cullip, Pethick, Watson, Oatway (Blackwell 79), Carpenter, Brooker, Jones, Zamora, Barrett (Kitson 82).

Subs Not Used: Hart, Packham, Piercy.

Booked: Watson.

Goals: Zamora 54.

Portsmouth: Hislop, Foxe, Tavlaridis (Crowe 69), Diabate, Pericard (Ayegbini 57), Stone (Harper 38), Quashie, Primus, Taylor, Todorov, Merson.

Subs Not Used: Kawaguchi, Burton.

Booked: Stone, Tavlaridis.

Goals: Todorov 64.

Att: 6,848

Ref: M Messias (N Yorkshire).