Wolves clung on for another precious point after Portsmouth faded despite the introduction of half-time substitute Aiyegbeni Yakubu just hours after his eviction from Nigeria's African Nations Cup camp.

Eyal Berkovic and Linvoy Primus both struck wood for Pompey but the visitors held on well.

Wolves can thank a virtuoso display by new goalkeeper Paul Jones for their point.

After twice knocking on wood in the first half Pompey put all their faith in Yakubu.

And despite not landing back on English soil until around midday, the young striker was sent on as substitute for £400,000 Croatian signing Ivica Mornar.

But a lot of huff and puff was the sum total of the Nigerian's efforts as he battled to add to his top-scoring eight goal Pompey haul this term.

In the end Pompey had to settle for their first goalless draw at Fratton Park this term - the same score as at Molineux in August. And it enabled Wolves to grab only their third away point of the campaign.

The new boys on either side were well to the fore from the first whistle although Jones would not have enjoyed his miskick which presented Teddy Sheringham with an early chance which he flashed across the face of goal.

But Jones did better with a sprawling save to deny Patrik Berger from 25 yards after Pompey had got the scent of blood in their nostrils.

With less than two minutes on the clock a link between Matty Taylor and Sheringham razored the Wolves defence apart and Berkovic scraped the outside of a post with his shot.

After such a racing start there continued to be chances at either end with £2million Carl Cort flashing a downward header wide of a post from Colin Cameron's right-wing cross.

With Amdy Faye settling well into his first start since being out with knee trouble for a month, Pompey looked the sharper side for most of the first half.

Faye's penetrating midfield run should have brought them a 24th-minute lead.

He burst through and picked out the busy Mornar on the right to swing over a cross which Sheringham, unmarked, hooked spectacularly but wastefully over the crossbar from 15 yards.

Kenny Miller almost immediately had an opening for Wolves but from just outside the area he sidefooted straight at Shaka Hislop.

And Wolves escaped once more three minutes later when big Pompey defender Primus got up for Berger's corner only to smack his firm header against the crossbar.

Cort showed quality again to keep Wolves hopeful when he coolly chested down Mark Kennedy's cross only for the brave Hislop to smother the ball at his feet just as the former Newcastle man was about to pull the trigger from 10 yards.

Pompey had tried to pick the lock of Wolves rearguard with the short passing of Alexei Smertin and Eyal Berkovic but boss Harry Redknapp decided Yakubu's physical power was needed to batter down the door in the second half.

And it almost worked with Jones punching away under pressure from the Nigerian and then courageously blocking his 10-yard drive.

Long before the end, though, Yakubu was living on scraps as the influence of Smertin and Berkovic ebbed away in tired legs.

And only when Lee Naylor's attempt to clear a Petri Pasanen free-kick finished with the ball bouncing away off a post did Pompey go close again.

Teams:

Portsmouth: Hislop, Primus, De Zeeuw, Pasanen, Taylor, Berkovic (Stone 75), Faye, Smertin (Quashie 88), Berger, Sheringham, Mornar (Yakubu 46).

Subs Not Used: Wapenaar, Hughes.

Wolverhampton: Jones, Irwin, Butler, Craddock, Naylor, Rae, Ince, Cameron, Kennedy, Miller (Ganea 90), Cort (Iversen 67).

Subs Not Used: Oakes, Silas, Clyde.

Booked: Naylor.

Att: 20,112

Ref: H Webb (S Yorkshire).